When Stars Align
by The Snow Dragon of Jupiter
Summary: When the guild decides to catch up with Lisanna, someone is left in the shadows, forgotten, deemed useless. Lucy. For the sake of her aching heart, she temporarily leaves Fairy Tail, succeeding in becoming stronger and finding herself amongst new companionship. However, things don't exactly go according to her plans, in both the good way and the bad way.
1. Decisions

**Yup… another fanfic. Yup, I haven't finished Tactics's next chapter. But seriously, I'm too obsessed with Fairy Tail, I just have to write this.**

**THIS IS SET AFTER THE GRAND MAGIC GAMES, THEREFORE, THE WHOLE ORDEAL WITH FUTURE LUCY AND FUTURE ROGUE HAPPENED. IT'S SHORTLY AFTER THE GUILD'S RETURN TO MAGNOLIA.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

She shouldn't be crying. She had already seen it coming. The day _it_ happened was the start of the countdown for _this_. She was just hoping it would take longer, or even had a sliver of faith that it wouldn't happen. But the odds were not in her favor.

Wiping the back of her hand over her wet eyes, Lucy got up from the ground, travelling suitcase packed to the brim and an attempted determination shining in her glassy eyes. It was around sunset, the bright orange light gleaming through her window and reflecting the sparkling clean room. Lucy had taken the chance to wipe the dust and impurities, as a favor for the landlady.

She liked to think she was leaving a very treasured home and wanted to rembember it as such.

Lucy eyed the bed with squinted eyes, surpressing a sob. The pink duvet. _Pink._ She shook her head, clearing her throat and slapping her cheek gently. She did not want her mind to go over there. It would be much too painful and she knew it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Lucy looked up, meeting the distressed looking Loke. His eyes were narrowed sadly behind his tinted shades, and his mouth was pressed in a firm line. The blonde nodded vigorously.

"I have to. Not just because of her… because I know I need to get stronger," she replied, and the attempt to make her voice come out strong was visible. Loke seemed to be debating the answer with himself for a moment, and she didn't blame him. He was worried.

After all, she was leaving Fairy Tail, the guild that had supported her as family for so long.

And saying it wasn't painful was a very grave lie.

"But you are leaving so many people. What about your family?" Loke insisted, and lowered his voice to a whisper, "What about Natsu?"

Lucy froze at the name, and he felt bad for bringing the Dragon Slayer up. He knew what she felt for Natsu, she was his master and closest friend of the human world. But he had to reason with her about her decision.

"… He'll be fine. He has Lisanna."

Loke flinched. Lisanna. Loke never really knew that girl, but he didn't intend to anymore. Knowing what the Take Over mage was to Natsu, he didn't even want to make eye contact with the one she _thought _would be replacing her.

"You do realize he's going to figure it out soon, don't you?" he retorted. "He always barges in uninvited and when he sees you're not here…"

Lucy shook her head, making him trail that sentence.

"He's going on a mission with Erza, Gray, Mira and Lisanna," she lied, and her grip on her suitcase seemed tighter. "It's quite dangerous, that's why they didn't want me to go. They won't be back for… probably three months."

She still remembered. How he'd barely said anything when she spoke up, and just kept talking to Lisanna like she wasn't there. Like she didn't even exist. Lucy felt her eyes burn again at the memory, but she inhaled sharply to push away the tears. She would not cry. This was her decision.

_Plus, I don't want any more headaches, _she thought.

"He'll notice when he comes back, then," Loke kept on saying. "He'll be miserable!"

"He'll be fine, Loke," Lucy said, getting impatient. "I thought you wanted to help."

"I do!" he exclaimed. The Lion Spirit then gritted his teeth, and sighed in frustration, whispering, "I just… you're leaving Fairy Tail. I know we'll come back, but… it feels wrong."

To his surprise, Lucy had her arms wrapped around his back in a tight hug.

"I know. It feels wrong to me too. I just have to do this… I have to get away for some to think and to get stronger."

Her voice was soft and trying to be friendly, but he knew she was suffering on the inside. However, it was her decision, and deciding to become stronger just made him prouder of her than he'd ever been before.

"Alright," he said, and smiled, folding his arms around her. They tightened the embrace for a moment, before letting go. Despite the remaining tears and watery eyes, Lucy's smile was unwavering and truthful.

"I'll make my Spirits proud by becoming stronger, and I'll make myself proud as well."

Loke smiled. With that said, he grabbed her other suitcase, and they both walked out of the apartment, heading for Magnolia's train station.

* * *

"Where are we headed?"

Lucy lifted her head from the back of the seat, rubbing her heavy brown eyes. It was pitch black outside, around one in the morning, and she had been sleeping in the train until Loke's deep voice acted like an alarm clock. Remembering his question, she sighed.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, and brought the blanket around her to her neck. "I think Crocus. I know that I have to get away from Magnolia, but I need supplies. I need to find libraries of any sorts to check out more about Celestial magic."

"Are you going to obtain any more Celestial keys?" Loke asked.

"Probably… I saved up money for this little escape, but I didn't really ponder on that."

That would be a problem. Lucy grimaced, and turned her head to stare at the window. The night was so dark that she couldn't make out any sorts of shapes, like a black curtain draped over the glass.

"We already agreed I'd be helping you with hand-to-hand combat and such, but about your magic…" Loke trailed, sighing lightly, "I'm just as clueless as you. The only Celestial magic I'm familiar with is Spirit Summoning, nothing else."

"Do you think there _is_ something else in Celestial magic, other than what I'm capable of?"

Loke frowned, leaning back on the seat. He'd talked it out with his fellow Spirits, but only Capricorn seemed to have some knowledge. He said he was not an expert on the matter, but there were other types of Celestial magic, other than Spirits. He just didn't know them.

"There is, Capricorn told me so," he said. "He doesn't know much, though."

"Well, I guess I have to find out."

They merged in silence afterwards, and Lucy was easily slipping back into dreamland—Loke could visibly see _and _sense it. She was both frustrated and stressed, burning out her brain as she worked out ideas in her mind, but she was clearly tired.

"Lucy, go back to sleep," Loke said, gently. "You can worry about that tomorrow, at the capital."

Puffing out her cheeks rather cutely, Lucy nodded, and closed her eyes. The redhead Spirit crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing the falling asleep blonde with worry dancing in his eyes. He remembered when she called him, broken down in tears and clutching to his chest as she sobbed violently. Loke was beyond shocked, but upon hearing her side of the story, that shock slowly dissipated—only to be replaced by anger.

Turns out, Natsu and the others had been ignoring her for three months. At first, they were only paying less attention to her, Natsu coming by her house less frequently. But as the days went by, she found herself sitting at the bar far away from Team Natsu, which now seemed have replaced her with Lisanna. Lucy always watched them, eyes heavy and threatning to spill her bottled up tears. At some time, Natsu stopped visiting and talking to her altogether, and the whole guild acted as if she was invisible. Feeling rejected and heartbroken, Lucy decided to leave. Master Makarov was crestfallen with her decision, but after pointless arguments, he allowed her to leave—but only temporarily. Lucy agreed with him though, knowing that she'd be coming back eventually. Without so much as a goodbye, Lucy Heartfilia quit Fairy Tail, in hopes of improving her magic and fighting skills.

Loke obviously supported her in that decision, but he didn't fail to point out that it would take months, nearly a year, and it would be extremely tiring and difficult. If she worked hard and gave it all in the training, she'd be twice—maybe thrice, depending on how things would turn out—as powerful in possibly seven months. But combat training would be tough, and her magic would take long to become more powerful.

The Leo then smirked. It was _Lucy. _She was fierce and brave, beautiful and the most powerful Celestial mage that he'd ever seen. She'd become stronger in no time and he knew it.

Now, what would he do about Natsu? That was the main question in his mind. He was absolutely pissed and disappointed with the Fire mage for breaking his Mistress's heart, but if he went back and punched his teeth out, Lucy would be mad. After all, she loved the fool and she couldn't bring herself to hate him, despise his careless behavior towards her. But he still would make him pay for the emotional damage inflicted on Lucy.

Hadn't she already suffered enough? Losing her mother—her only source of love—and falling at the mercy of Jude Heartfilia, the heartless father she had to cope with, and living a dull and loveless childhood. And when she finds love and a family, they turn their backs on her?

"Give me a break," Loke muttered, bitterly, while glancing at the ceiling. "Find another toy to play with."

As expected, no answer. Not that he wanted one. Lucy was strong and she'd find a way out of this predicament. She'd overcome the sadness and she'd take training seriously. Heck, Natsu and the others might regret their actions and apologize. Either way, Lucy wouldn't let herself get beat by something like this and he knew it.

Loke ended up staying for four hours, watching over the blonde. She was a silent sleeper, only moving around ever so slightly and never making too much of a fuss. He felt a smile stretch in his lips. At least she was at peace when she slept. At least.

The hours then began to take effect on him, and he knew he had to get back. Sighing at the lack of magic, Loke stood up from the seat, ready to go back to the Spirit Realm. However, before he left, a puff of smoke burst in his right, and he met blank blue eyes with a hint of worry.

"Virgo," he whispered. The pinkette bowed slowly, eyeing Lucy by the corner of her eyes.

"I see you have ran out of magic and I am here to replace you on watching princess," Virgo replied, emotionlessly as per usual. Though, Loke felt a tinge of distress in her words.

"Thank you, Virgo. Make sure she's not lonely," he said, and then crossed his arms. "No, scratch that. We'll _all _make sure she's never lonely again and that she always wakes up to a friendly face."

Virgo didn't say anything, opting by merely nodding. Loke took the cue, and left the human world in a swirl of magic. She sat down on the cushioned seat next to the blonde, watching her sleeping face. She might be a little blank and not have as many feelings like the other spirits, but she worried about her master and would show it. She even came to the human world using her own magic and not wasting a single drop of her Mistress's. The blonde was enough overwhelmed as it was.

Lucy stirred, and Virgo placed a gentle hand on her forehead. Checking for colds and flus was always essencial, especially since it was January. When seeing her temperature was not changed, the maid retreated her hand and kept watching her. Her Mistress was in pain and she was aware of it. In fact, all of her spirits were. They could feel her every fiber screaming in agony and crying in regret and sorrow. And, regardless of each other's personality—Aquarius mainly—they suffered with her and blamed themselves for not being able to help her.

Another round of hours went by, Virgo always keeping an eye on her. The darkness that had covered the streets for the night was slowly fading as dawn began to reach its peak. Just as a beam of light intruded the inside of the train, Lucy's eyes began to flicker, and slowly opened, as she calmly woke. At Virgo's intense stare however, she jolted in her seat.

"Virgo!" she hissed, surprised. She half expected Loke to be there.

"My apologies princess, you seem quite startled," Virgo said. "Should I be punished?"

Lucy slumped her shoulders, pursing her lips and shaking her head slowly. Why did her spirits have so many weird personalities? Oh right. Because _she _was weird.

"_Sheesh, you're so weird, Lucy!"_

Lucy froze. She couldn't form any coherent thoughts as the picture of a bright grin and fathomless onyx eyes assaulted her memories, her heart going a mile an hour. Virgo seemed to notice her uneasiness, but before she could take measure, the blonde mage gritted her teeth and jumped off the seat like a spring.

"Help me with my luggage," she hissed, in a cracked tone. Virgo showed no hesitation in obeying, though she still felt the anger and sadness seeping through her master. Yet, she let her vent out her grief alone, by grasping the handle of the suitcase harshly and stomping all the way to the departure exit.

"Attention, everyone, we will be arriving the Capital shortly. Please wait patiently and thank you for traveling with us."

Lucy sighed, leaning against the wall as Virgo came up with her other suitcase. Why did he keep popping into her head? She was trying to forget about him and her brain was _not _helping. Why did she have to constantly remember how his black eyes were so deep and his grin seemed to brighten the world? How his pink hair was bristly yet soft to the touch, how mature and handsome he got when in a fight, how…

_Stop! _Lucy scolded herself mentally, _You will not think about him! You will not think about him!_

She'd been having those internal battles for a month now, and she hated them. Because, if she had them, she'd think of Natsu, and she promised herself to forget about him.

_He loves Lisanna and there's nothing I can do about it. I was her replacement until she came back. I was only Natsu's best friend, while Lisanna was his long lost love._

Lucy felt a pang in her heart when those words echoed in her head. She didn't want to be just his best friend, she wanted more. But she couldn't have it, so she dealt with that. There was nothing she could do about it.

"Attention, everyone. We have arrived at Crocus. Please remember to bring all of your luggage and thank you for travelling with us."

Lucy gestured at Virgo to follow her through the gates of the exit, setting foot on the station as if it was the greatest sacrifice of all mankind. She heard several people follow her out and head for their business, the train slowly beginning to leave the station. Lucy eyed her surroundings. Plenty of people were framing her picture, the noise and different kinds of scents filling her in as she wandered away from the place. Virgo followed her quietly, the only sound shared between them being the gentle roll of the wheels her pink suitcase provided. She seemed slightly gloomy, and the maid kept silent.

After fifteen minutes of walking, Lucy and Virgo were in front of the apartment she had seen in the newspaper, back in Magnolia. It was much bigger than her old one in Strawberry Street, even if the rent was 90,000 jewels. Due to being in the capital, all houses and flats were large and spacious, consequently more expensive, but Lucy absolutely fell in love with her new home when she first laid eyes on it.

"Why you look at that!" the blonde breathed, with a trembling Plue nestled in her arms as she gawked at the bright colors decorating the room.

The apartment was mostly of white marble floor and pale brown walls, with some windows that covered the walls from ceilling to floor. The living room had a large white couch and a plain, beige brown rug that lead to a sizeable bookshelf of a black color, two lamps dangling off the ceilling and a dark one next to a one person couch. Lucy grinned, sliding her bare feet on the slippery floor to stop in front of the shelf. She'd be able of collecting countless books. That'd leave Levy jealous.

Lucy's grin fell a little at the bluenette's name, and to regain her enthusiasm, she jumped over the glassy coffee table in the middle of the living room to explore the other corners of the apartment. The bathroom was also appealing and clean looking, with light brown walls and the same floor as the rest of the flat, and a very nice looking bathtub. Separated from the living room by only half a wall of glass, was the kitchen. It was small, though modern and bright like the rest of the place, with only three gray counters and matching cupboards.

"I never knew there were such modern houses," Lucy commented. Her chin was in the air, her brown eyes staring at the square lamp that covered most of the kitchen ceilling. Virgo allowed herself a small smile at her master's happiness.

"I'm grateful for you, princess," she said. Lucy smiled at her briefly, before hopping all the way to her supposed bedroom.

Despite her mattress being the same—Loke brought it through the Spirit world—Lucy was thrilled over the size of her bedroom. It was so much wider than her old one, with a thick window just over the head of where Lucy pictured the bed. At the moment, in that wooden floor and white walled room, only her mattress decorated her space.

Lucy turned to Virgo, letting Plue jump out of her arms to nuzzle her legs.

"I was thinking… I'm going to change my style a bit," she said. Virgo nodded, taking in her current attire, the one she always wore. Blonde pigtails with strands falling in front of her face and blue and white clothes.

"You are requesting my opinion, or is it my assistance?"

"Well… some of both. But I also thought that I want to change my bedroom too. It used to be all pink and girly, now I feel I should make it less childish," the blonde explained, petting Plue absent mindedly.

"I can help you find a new wardrobe style," Virgo said, her smile a little warmer. Lucy nodded, and to the maid's surprise, she wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

"Thank you. Thank you all for being here, helping me, supporting me," she whispered. Virgo nodded her head.

"It is our duty, princess. And besides, we are all your friends."

Lucy bit her lip, feeling tears pool in her eyes. She nodded her head repeatedly with a huge smile, and wiped her face with a sniffle.

"Okay, enough crying," she said, and slid out of the door. Not seconds later, she was back, carrying her pair of suitcases and looking at Virgo expectantly. "Will you go shopping with me for new furniture?"

The spirit maid smiled.

* * *

Around eleven o'clock at night, Lucy was taking in the delightful sight of her furnished apartment. She and Virgo had gone shopping for countless things, such including necessary objects for her kitchen—a fridge, an oven, a coffee maker (a rather nice one), a microwave and a pale rug to just give it a touch of fashion. For the living room, a few pillows for the couch, and she had unpacked all of her books and settled them in her new generous sized bookshelf. The bathroom earned some bottles for soap and her toothbrush, and she took the chance to buy comfy towels.

Now, for her bedroom. She purchased a wardrobe of wood, disposing of her previous one due to being smaller, a white bedside table with a cute lamp coming along—white with a pattern of black lilies—a different bed, the mattress framed by white, with a matching duvet and three pillows, two of them just for decoration, and another rug, big to the point of brushing against the opposite wall. Needless to say, Lucy was quite satisfied with the changes.

"Now, I'm getting rid of these."

True to her words, in front of the bathroom mirror, Lucy yanked the ribbons that held her pigtails, letting her golden locks fall to her shoulders. She wanted to look more mature, but at the same time she wanted to look stylish. What kind of hairdo would provide that?

A ponytail was too simple. Pigtails were out of question. Loose hair was too boring.

"Lucy-sama?" Cancer said. "Allow me, ebi."

After the work of the Crab's sophisticated hands, Lucy's eyes sparkled with awe at the marvelous work of a loose side braid, making her look more mature and beautiful. She let her fingers touch the blonde locks to her left, her mouth so tight in a grin that her cheeks hurt.

"Thank you so much, Cancer! But I can't just call you every morning, can you teach me how to do this braid?"

"With pleasure, ebi."

Lucy learned that a side braid was just like a normal braid, the only difference being that she had to turn her hair to a side and braid it with softer fingers for that loose feeling. She thanked Cancer once again, allowing him to go back to the Spirit world. Clad in only her underwear, she began checking her wardrobe for the new outfit she chose.

Wanting a less childish look but with a touch of a stray fashion, Lucy decided to make a brown leather jacket and matching combat boots as her trademark accessories, along with a white dress shirt and tight jeans—yet the latter two could vary. She kept her heart earrings and her belt though. The earrings gave off her real age and besides, she liked them; the belt was an obligatory accessory, due to her keys and whip. She would never discard those.

"At least keep your cheerful character. _That_'s your trademark, Lucy."

Lucy spun on the heels of her new boots, coming face to face with Loke. As reply, she gave him her usual wide smile, and he mirrored her.

"I like the new style, though," he said, raising his eyebrows and nodding his head slowly, approvingly. "Suits you more. It shows your bravery and determination, yet with the earrings, the belt and the necklace," he gestured towards the the pink, heart shaped necklace she had purchased, "it shows you're also girly and gentle. It's nice."

"Thank you, Loke," Lucy said, and pulled at the zipper of her jacket with a grin. "That's exactly what I wanted."

The Lion grinned as well, and pulled her into a hug. Lucy let her shoulders slump, and sighed, hugging her closest spirit just as hard. His scent was soothing and enough to calm her, as he rocked them back and forth around the room.

"Thanks, Loke. You know, for being here. For your support," Lucy muttered, against his shoulder. He just hugged her tighter.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Lucy. You are my friend and I will help you, no matter what."

She nodded, before sniffling and stepping away from his chest with a hand over her nose. Through the small tears, she smiled at Loke.

"You can go back, you know. Besides, I want some time to myself…" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. He nodded.

"Don't hesitate to call me if you ever need me, be it for fighting or for a shoulder to cry on," he promised, before disappearing in a puff of light.

Lucy frowned her lips, tiptoeing for the large window over her bed. It was so long that it went from the left wall to the right one, and she liked it. Tired brown eyes studied the dark landscape through the glass, taking in the tall buildings and lamps on the streets. It was nothing like Magnolia. There was no green in sight, no forests, no river across the window, no pink haired idiots grinning at her from below her with a paper slip of a mission in his hand.

She stepped back from the window, breathing in slowly. She couldn't forget about him. She couldn't forget about Natsu Dragneel or how she felt about him, and she knew it.

"For the time being," she muttered to herself, and closed her eyes. "For the time being, I can't get him out of my mind. But maybe time will help."

Maybe time would help her move on. _Maybe._

* * *

**So, what'd you think of the first chapter? I know I put Lucy through a lot of changes here, but that's being realistic too. People actually do that to get over the past.**

**If you're interested in how I described her house, here are the links to similar stuff (without the spacing):**

**Living room – cdn . home – designing wp – content / uploads / 2012 / 08 /3-Modern – apartment – layout . jpg**

**Kitchen – www . mydecorideas wp – content / uploads / 2014 / 02 / kitchen -design – with – island . jpg**

**Bathroom - photos / Bathroom – Remodeling – 4 . jpg**

**Bedroom - bedroomkitchen wp – content / uploads / 2013 / 10 / interior – design – ideas – bedroom – 524 . jpg**

**Remember, I said similar, not that they're the same. Review please! Or I'll tell Natsu about Lucy leaving… and that you were the one that made her leave…**


	2. Nightmares and Books

**Wow, I'm surprised with five reviews over a night. Thank you all so much! I'm glad people are into this story. Also, to make it clear, I never said Lucy was going on some dangerous quest to become stronger. She's doing it at a slow pace.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Darkness. Loneliness. Fear. Fire. Heat. Pain. Horror.

"_You were never my best friend."_

She was falling in darkness, with nothing within her reach to stop it.

"_You were never welcome here."_

That voice was oddly familiar, despite being dipped in venom and disdain.

"_I could never love someone like you."_

It clicked. It was Natsu's voice. It was his voice and it came along with his flames. She was drowning in them as he spoke, her mouth ripped open in a silent scream at the acute pain.

"_I only love Lisanna. You were only her replacement. Nothing more."_

She felt the fire tear at her flesh, melting her to the bone, torturing her horridly. She could only scream, scream until her throat stung, as her heart burst in pain and fear at Natsu's words.

"_You mean nothing to me. You are weak, fragile, a nuisance."_

Lucy screamed yet again, her eyes burning with tears. It hurt. It hurt, both physically and mentally. She felt the fire eating her up, slowly killing her, while his words killed her from the inside out.

"_I wish you were dead."_

At that point, the fire had consummed her entirely, but only her eyes remained, to torture her even more. They were staring right at another pair of savage, wild peridot eyes, much alike to a dragon's murderous stare. Natsu's terrorizing tone was her undoing.

"_**Dead.**_"

Lucy awoke violently, screaming like a banshee. She was panting heavily, a cold sweat clinging to her skin as she tried to overcome the traumatizing images in her head. It was a dream, just a dream. Nothing more.

A nightmare, that is. A horrifying nightmare.

The blonde mage gulped audibly, exhaling with a hand to her pounding heart. Seeing the dim light that went through the thin curtains, she checked the hours. Half past six in the morning. As early as she guessed. She couldn't go back to sleep, not after a nightmare like that. With a sigh, Lucy stumbled out of the messy bed, rubbing her arms for heat. It was mid January, therefore cold was always around and seeping into her flesh like knives. It somewhat reminded her of Gray, minus the discomfort. He had always been a good friend to her, like an older brother.

_Too bad he ignored me too._

Lucy sighed, staring at herself in the bathroom mirror. She had been so excruciatingly tired in the previous night that she didn't bother to undo Cancer's braid. It was tousled, but she decided it looked fine as she squirmed into a red shirt and random black pants. Maybe a walk would clear her mind.

A snowflake softly kissed her nose as she left the building, and Lucy was thankful for bringing a fur coat zipped all the way to her collarbone. A few inches of snow had already gathered around the city sidewalks, her footsteps echoing a squishy, crackling sound as she walked through the mass of white. Not only it was snowing, she could bet her keys that the temperature was below zero. Even if it snowed as well, Magnolia was warmer, in matters of temperature and hospitality. Lucy frowned at the thought, shaking her head.

After some wandering around town, breathing puffs of white, her eye caught the sign of a small coffee bar. Grateful for not forgetting her purse, she decided to go in for some breakfast. She knew she was spending an awful lot of money, knowing she had no permanent job, but she had saved quite a lot of jewels from solo missions, always receiving the full reward for not _destroying stuff_. Even aware of the circumstances, Lucy giggled to herself. Team Natsu was known for that, not getting the reward for making a building explode.

"At least someone is awfully happy with this cold," came a sweet female voice from the counter.

Lucy looked up. It was woman, seemingly in her thirties, with long curly hair as blonde as Lucy's. Her eyes were of an bright blue, but they looked kind and gentle to tell off its icy hue. By the maroon apron and the name Ellia printed on the breast pocket, she guessed this woman was an employee at the café.

"Well, sort of," Lucy said, taking a seat in front of the counter. The woman named Ellia smiled gently.

"What do you feel like eating, sweetie?" she asked. Lucy smiled, feeling strangely at ease next to her.

"For now, give me some coffee and maybe some pancakes."

"Coming right up, honey."

Lucy watched her disappear behind a wooden door, and lying her chin on her palm, she studied the small café. There was a man sitting in the far corner next to the frosted window, with a newspaper bent in his hands, a woman sipping on a cup of tea—perhaps black—sporting bags under her eyes, and Lucy herself. She guessed that either it was too early for crowds or too cold for going on a walk.

"Here you go," came the waitress's voice, placing Lucy's pancakes and her coffee in front of her. "What's your name, dear?"

"Lucy," she said, and poured some maple syrup on the pancakes, taking a hungry bite afterwards. Ellia smiled, taking a seat in front of the blonde.

"That's a pretty name. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

Lucy glanced at the clock. Half past seven. She munched on her breakfast, and shrugged while sipping on the coffee. She nearly choked on the bitter taste, and Ellia smiled knowingly. Lucy laughed breathlessly as she handed her a small packet of sugar, which the Celestial mage tore open and let its contents drop into the steaming beverage.

"I woke up an hour ago and didn't feel like sleeping more," Lucy said simply. She kind of guessed Ellia had quite the sharp senses, and noticed her slightly trembling tone.

"Something prevented you from doing so."

The statement was so innocent, yet being aware of its meaning made Lucy shudder with rekindled fright. Natsu's words echoed in her head, making her heart race and her hands tremble over the coffee mug.

"I… may have had a nightmare," Lucy whispered. Ellia was a complete stranger, a simple waitress from a café, but she felt as if that warmth in her voice and eyes was the absolute truth. No one could fake kindness that well.

"Feel like talking about it?" she asked sweetly.

Lucy took in a wavering breath, and told her everything. How she had been in Fairy Tail for nearly approximately a year and a half and how they started ignoring her because of Lisanna, how she felt dejected by Natsu's behavior and heart wrenching words from her nightmare, how she felt so alone and depressed for not having anyone to rely on, how she decided to leave the guild for a while to become stronger, everything. After her little story, told in whispers and slight tears, Ellia touched her hand softly, almost motherly like.

"If you had the courage to step away from the one you love most and become stronger, that proves you are also capable of surviving this pain. I may not know you, Lucy, but you seem like a very kind and capable mage," she said, patting her shoulder. Lucy felt strangely comforted by her words.

"Thanks, Ellia… and I'm sorry. You're probably tired of being a shoulder to cry on for many customers," she said. Ellia laughed, much to her surprise.

"Think nothing of it. I like making others feel better, it makes me feel good myself."

Lucy smiled. That was a good trait.

"By any chance, do you know where I can find out about this Celestial magic?"

Ellia pursed her lips, tapping her chin with her forefinger.

"You can always check in the Grand Library. Here," she began scribbling on a piece of paper, and gave it to Lucy, "that's how you can get there. There are plenty of books about magic in there, it's the largest library of the capital, if not the entire Fiore."

Lucy eyed the traces in the paper, and smiling at Ellia, she said, "Thanks! I've only been to the capital once, for the Grand Magic Games."

She placed down the fork on her now empty plate of pancakes, and donned down the rest of the coffee. Hopefully it would spike some energy off of her through the day.

"Thanks again, Ellia, and have a nice day!" Lucy said, whilst waving and stepping out into the snowy streets of Crocus. She caught a faint shadow of Ellia waving her back, before she headed for the library.

The snow had died down a bit, instead falling down fluffy balls of white only occasionally. The temperature however, was persistent, and Lucy couldn't avoid crossing her arms over her chest for heat. More people were roaming the streets than before, for the clock had struck eight. According to the paper Ellia gave her, the library was half an hour away on foot and opened at half past seven.

"You're insane, going out with the weather like this," a male voice said, and Lucy didn't have to be a second Einstein to know it was Loke. She shrugged at his statement.

"I want to learn about Celestial magic as soon as possible, so that I can get stronger."

"Oh yeah, we gotta talk about your hand-to-hand combat training too," he said, grinning. Lucy arched an eyebrow.

"Something tells me you'll enjoy seeing me sweating and panting," she muttered, but unfortunately Loke caught it—in both ways. His grin faded into a smirk.

"Oh, I used to long for that sight, princess," he teased. "But I'll leave that privillege to Natsu."

Lucy's face burst into every existent shade of red, and she began stammering incoherently. Loke just laughed, strolling forward to start walking while facing her.

"As if you haven't imagined it," he accused, playfully. "I bet you wrote about it."

That hit the nail in the chalkboard. Lucy felt her insides burn an odd mix of embarrassment and excitement, recalling that steamy drabble she had written about herself and Natsu. A whimsical dream, for sure. She glared at the Leo, but he merely grinned.

"You. Shut up now, kitty cat," she hissed through gritted teeth, walking faster as if to get away from him. Loke rolled his eyes, and mimicked her pace.

"Relax, Lucy, I was only joking. Even if you did write about such thing, it's none of my business," he stated, shrugging. Lucy blinked at him.

"Thanks…"

Loke smiled. They both continued the walk towards the library in silence, through the delicate snow that fell. Lucy knew it wasn't the exact same type of magic, but it reminded her of Gray nonetheless. Her eyes became hooded, her chin lowering as the face of the Ice-Make mage was bolted into her head. She missed them, her friends, her family. But they had made it clear that she no longer belonged there, and that she needed to get stronger. And get stronger she would. Maybe it was a bit of a difficult task for a Celestial mage, but she was willing to try. She _wanted _to be strong. It was part of her wishlist, and she'd make this one real.

Maybe she wouldn't become as strong as Erza or Mirajane, or Natsu for that matter. But, she was certain that if she tried enough, if she was patient and persistent, she'd achieve her goal. Capricorn himself said there was another type of Celestial magic, and she was determined to find out. If it was different from hers but promised what she desired, she'd work on it, all teeth and nails. It felt as if her life depended on it.

"Lucy?" Loke said, breaking her out of her reverie. "We're here."

The blonde blinked, taking notice of her surroundings. In front of her, tall and elegant, stood a building that she immediately guessed to be the library. It clearly had so many floors, and Lucy couldn't stop thinking that Levy would call this a paradise. Giggling quietly, she went inside, Loke not far behind. The lobby was wide and perfectly illuminated by dandy chandeliers, and had already quite a few people in the first section. Lucy squinted her eyes, and found what she wanted. Apparently, according to the sign on the wall, this was the History section.

Lucy stepped towards the front desk, eyeing the male clerk that typed on the computer avidly. She cleared her throat, getting his attention like she wanted.

"Good morning. Can you tell me the location of the Magic section?" she asked, sweetly. Loke caught her intentions behind the overly tender tone, and would have cheered for his Mistress if the circumstances were others. Instead, he rolled his eyes.

"Why yes, it's in the twenty fourth floor. Have a pleasant reading," he said, clearly astonished and charmed by Lucy. Loke grimaced his lips. Poor guy.

"Thank you!" Lucy said, and began walking towards the elevators.

Once they were both inside it and the number twenty four on the wall was pressed, Loke raised an eyebrow at his mistress. She frowned.

"What?"

"Lucy, you said you wanted to change, to be more mature and less childish. I thought that included vain attempts at seducing guys," Loke said, straightforwardly. Gladly, Lucy just sighed.

"You're right. Force of habit, I guess."

Loke frowned.

"You don't have to stop if you don't want to. I was just… well."

Lucy gave him a big smile.

"No, you're right. I had thought of stopping, because I get it, it's pointless. It's pointless to seduce a guy you don't like, or don't have intentions of 'hooking up' with," she said, gesturing the quote marks, and exhaled heavily. "I have no intentions of getting a boyfriend here, especially at a time like this."

_Because the only one I want is in love with someone else._

Loke shoved his hands into his pockets, eyeing her carefully.

"You _could _get a boyfriend, you know. It'd help you take your mind off of everything," he suggested. Lucy smiled at him, but he knew it was forced.

"I want my first boyfriend to love me just as much as I love him."

_Meaning you want Natsu. The idiot loves you back, Lucy, _Loke thought, but he couldn't say that out loud. Lucy and Natsu had to figure it out themselves. Though, watching her suffer like this was painful to him.

The doors of the elevator dinged softly when they reached their floor, and both stepped out quietly. There were more people interested in the Magic section than in the History ground floor, considering the many subjects this level provided. Lucy read the countless types of magic plastered on the bookshelves. Script magic, Ice-Make, Water magic… all about their origins and first steps to master them.

After roaming through the endless shelves with endless subjects—Requip magic, Heavenly body, Runes, and plenty more—Lucy came to a stop, sighing. With a desperate frown, she spotted the clerk of this level, and headed for her desk.

"Excuse me, where is the Celestial magic section?" she asked, quietly. The woman, rather rude looking with thin glasses hanging off her tiny nose, gestured at the shelf to the farthest left. Lucy nodded in gratitude, rapidly walking towards it. Loke was already there upon knowing where it was.

"A-ha," he hissed, tapping a certain dark blue leathered book. Lucy went on tiptoes to get it, sliding it off its slot and eyeing the cover with narrowed eyes.

It read _Holder Magic: Celestial Sorcery_. Lucy settled on a chair nearby, pulling out her Gale-Force reading glasses and opening the book. Loke saw the pages fly freely as the magic of the ornaments took place, Lucy's face going from determined, to curious, confused, and then disappointed. In a matter of minutes, the book was closed, and she sighed.

"Nope. This is all things I know, how many spirits there are, the matter of the Zodiac Keys, how contracts must be made, you know the drill," she explained, and after sliding the book back into its slot, Loke caught another one entitled _Stellar Magic and its Properties._

"How about this one?"

Lucy grabbed the book, reading it through her glasses. Once again, she sighed. It was also about Spirit Keys, though it developed a little more in the Zodiac ones and explained their strong points and weaknesses. Closing the thick book gently, she shook her head. Loke sighed, searching for another that might talk more about what they wanted.

Lucy spent exactly three hours in that library, searching for books about Celestial magic that talked about things she didn't already know. Eventually, she dismissed Loke, not wanting to waste anymore of her magic force, instead roaming the different sections alone.

She was beginning to lose hope already. Most of the books she found talked about the Zodiac Keys and their abillities, and Lucy needn't more knowledge in that department. She knew everything about her beloved spirits, therefore all of the books she would find were useless. With a disgruntled groan, she slid back yet another disappointing book, named _The Twelve Zodiac Gates and their Mysteries._ There were no so called mysteries in those pages. Lucy was already familiar with everything written in that book.

"Psst."

Lucy frowned, glancing over her shoulder, but saw nothing. Must have been her imagination.

"Over here, Lucy," a male voice said. She fully turned on her heels, startled as to why this person knew her name, but gasped at whom she met.

"Hibiki!" she breathed, approaching the Archive mage. He smiled, a thick book in his hands.

"You've been going back and forth in the Celestial section. What are you searching for?"

Lucy bit her lip slightly. Hibiki was quite the intelligent guy, maybe he'd know something.

"I'm researching on Celestial magic, to see if there's more to it than what I already know," she said. "Do you know something? I mean, you did teach me Urano Metria."

Hibiki frowned, leaning on a table with a thoughtful gleam in his blue eyes as he crossed his arms. After a few seconds, he looked back at her with a mysterious expression, smiling.

"There's nothing good in this floor, Lucy," he said, and then leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "You should check the Restricted section."

Lucy widened her eyes, nervous at the close contact he made. Hibiki just smiled, walking away from her quietly. She frowned at him, over her shoulder.

"Good luck."

She warily nodded, watching his back disappear behind a tall bookshelf.

_I guess that's expected from a Blue Pegasus, _she thought, _But hold the phone, did he say Restricted section?_

Lucy crossed her arms loosely, eyeing a certain door by the corner of her eyes. She would be breaking the rules by doing so, if she managed to get through unnoticed by that grim looking woman. Well, Hibiki did say this floor had nothing, and she was beginning to see that by the generous amounts of books she picked up and only to be disappointed with their contents.

Lucy saw the woman get up from behind the desk and head for the bathroom not far away, as if it was a sign sent from the heavens. She looked around the area, seeing most of the people either engrossed in their reading or simply too busy to care. With that as encouragement, the Celestial mage silently went for the closed door, and with her heart pounding and sudden rush of adrenaline, she found herself inside the small room, the door strictly closed behind her back.

Lucy clicked her tongue, already stepping forward to scan the two shelves in the room. Since when did she obey the rules, anyway?

* * *

**Naughty Lucy. Sneaking into that section like that… what do you think she'll find there? I'm curious to your perspective. Review and include your guesses!**


	3. The Caster Side of Celestial Magic

**I'm kind of disappointed… not many people tried to guess. Oh well, enjoy the secrets revealed and, of course, the chapter.**

* * *

Lucy's eyes gleamed as she studied the old and dusty books on the shelves. No wonder why these were in the restricted section, they were all about Lost magic. And despite Arc of Time and Embodiment, Dragon Slayer magic was its main topic. A frown took over her face.

"What I want is…" she whispered, and then a wave of relief and joy washed over her when she spotted what she so longed for. "Here we go!"

Her hand now held a massive book in a dark blue color, entitled _Celestial Magic: Origins._ Hopefully this one would give her information that suited her desires. She quietly slid down to the cold floor, face buried in the dusty pages as she read the mysterious book.

_Celestial magic is often referred to as Holder magic, with special keys that call forth spirits to fight or fulfill whatever needs the summoner might have._

Lucy was starting to frown at the repeated information, and was about to groan in frustration, if the following paragraph hadn't caught her attention.

_However, most mages are oblivious to the real potential of Celestial magic. Most Celestial mages are Holder mages with said powerful keys that open gates from the Spirit World, but there is a Caster side to Celestial magic. A side which does not involve the aid of celestial spirits, but instead allows the magic power within the mage to run free by their own hands._

"This is it!" Lucy hissed, now fully focused on the book.

_One of the Caster sides to Celestial magic is the Ultimate magic of the Stars, its most known spell named _Urano Metria._ Yet due to this Caster side being affilliated with stars from other galaxies, there are minor spells involving certain constellations, even if weak._

_There are many Celestial spells, existent and manoeuvrable, and most mages are unaware of them only family that has ever mastered every stellar enchantment is the Heartfilia family._

Lucy felt her eyes grow wide. Her family was the only one that had ever mastered the Caster side of Celestial magic? Why hadn't she been told of this? Her mother must have known about this and didn't tell her… perhaps because Lucy was far too young to hear her out. Or maybe Layla Heartfilia knew her daughter would somehow discover it.

_The Holder side of Celestial magic is the easiest to master, but the Caster side requires the mage to invoke magic by their own hands, _if _the mage holds the brain_ _capacity of understanding the contents and concept of their own magic. This is why the Heartfilias were the only ones known for having this abillity, they were exceptionally cunning and intelligent, thus able of deciphering the codes within themselves and becoming one with the enchantment._

_The most important and powerful spells in the celestial magic are afilliated with the Solar System, and each has an element of its own._

"Who's there?"

Lucy gasped quietly when hearing the clerk's rough voice. She hadn't read the whole book yet, and she needed to know about this Solar System concept. Nervous with the woman's approach, she scanned the shelves quickly, roaring inwardly in triumph when her hand came in contact with a slim book, named _Solar System: The Eight Grand Spells._ Now, about escaping.

"Follow meh, Lucy-sama," a deep voice said, and the blonde lifted her chin.

"Capricorn!"

The humanoid goat walked steadily into a darker zone of the small room, and a flash of light filled her vision as he opened an almost invisible door. Lucy glanced at the shadow of the woman behind the door, before hurrying through the new door with Capricorn not far behind. Soon, she was going down the stairs, through the dark, the two books tucked in her arms as she and Capricorn fled the library. The Spirit kicked the back door open for her, and she ran out, the light shining down on them. Lucy felt so bad for stealing from a library, from stealing _books, _but these were tecnically hers. She was a Heartfilia, after all, and if the books said she belonged to the only family that had mastered Celestial Caster magic, she had the right to own them. Though, she knew Levy would be disappointed with her.

"Thanks, Capricorn," she huffed, bent over to catch her breath.

"It is my duty, Lucy-sama," he answered curtly.

They were both in what seemed one of the gardens of Crocus, and Lucy was thankful for the nearby bench she plopped down on. Brown eyes gleaming, she eyed the covers of the two books she had snatched, reopening the one she had been reading.

_The Eight Grand Spells of the Solar System are extremely powerful spells, difficult to master if your lineage does not belong to the Heartfilia family tree, for the responsibles for these powers have contacted this family and just this family. If the mage happens to be a Heartfilia, even if just a descendant or a distant family memver, the holders of this magic might just trust them. If not, it'll be just a little harder._

_Each of the spells have a proper element, and these spells involve the core of the element, not just properties of it. For example, if one spell belongs to the element Water, the caster, if experienced enough, may create water and use it to extensive levels, enough to create tsunamis and even lift the local sea area._

_There is a very rare advantage to these spells, which might or might not be activated, depending on the mage's capacities. Due to being used to borrow magic from the universe above, the caster's magic vessel remains full. None of its magic is wasted._

Lucy never felt more astonished. Magic spells that didn't use a single drop of her _own _magic?

"Is this true?" she said, turning the book for Caprico to read it. He gave her a small smile.

"Yes, Lucy-sama. You master the eight spells, you become invincible."

Lucy felt her jaw drop. _I'll become even more powerful than Natsu… or even Erza._

"I don't see how that's possible…" she breathed. He nodded in understanding.

"But it is, Lucy-sama. The Heartfilias are the only ones capable of doing this, of requiring elemental magic from the rulers of the Universe. But, you will read about it in the other book," he said, and then pointed at the slim orange book. "The Eight Grand Spells are just what you need for enhancing your magic knowledge."

Lucy followed his advice, placing down _Celestial Magic: Origins _and slowly spreading the smaller book open. She came face to face with the index, which listed off eight names: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

"As you can see, Lucy-sama, each spell is attached to the eight planets of the Milky Way galaxy," Capricon explained, as Lucy flipped the page. The first one was Mercury.

"Aestus Mercurius_, _the Fire spell. This spell is related to the element of Fire, and the caster is capable of controlling it in any possible way, be it for fighting or for the user's benefit," she read aloud, and glanced at Capricorn. "So, if I master this spell, I can control fire?"

"You _create _it and control it. You borrow the element to use it for your benefit, without paying any cost. That is, if Lucy-sama trains hard. If you work hard enough, your magic will be exceptional."

"Like… like Natsu's Secret Dragon Slayer Art?" Lucy questioned quietly. To her pleasure, Capricorn nodded.

"More, Lucy-sama. Perhaps this spell can even match the magic vessel of fire within Natsu Dragneel's body."

The blonde returned her attention to the pages.

_For beginners, Aestus Mercurius_ _simply creates flames, but when exceptionally concentrated and to the point of mastering this spell, the caster can enhance the flames and use them however they see it fit. They borrow this element from the holy Hephaestus, when upon enchanting its sacred words, with body and soul fully focused, the mage performs a contract with the God of Fire. The only difference is that this holy spirit requires no Celestial key, instead the call of the caster._

"To put it basically," Caprico began, "when you've managed to balance your thoughts and soul, you must read these words aloud, and Hephaestus will come to you. After you've contracted with him, the only thing you need to do in combat is shout out 'Aestus Mercurius'and fire will be at your mercy."

"I'm going to see a god with my own eyes?!" she exclaimed, in disbelief. Caprico showed mild bemusement at her reaction.

"If you weren't a Heartfilia, it would take you years to gain the gods' trust. But, since they know of your heritage, and can sense the strong Celestial magic within you, they must all be eagerly waiting for you to start working on the Grand spells, so that they can come in contact with you."

"So, Loke was right? It'll take me a year?"

"That depends, Lucy-sama. If you train hard, you might just reach eight months. Each month for each spell," he said.

Lucy leaned on the back of the seat with a thoughtful expression. This was a gigantic leap. If she had known about the Grand Spells of the Solar System before, she would be a lot stronger than nowadays. Not to mention that this kind of magic involved contracts not with spirits, but with _gods. _Lucy had always been a bit more of agnostic when it came to these sorts of beliefs, but if what Caprico said she'd be changing her mind in no time. This magic sounded difficult, risky and positively dangerous.

"I'll do it," she blurted. Caprico smiled, nodding appreciatively.

"I will give you a brief explanation on how you will study this magic," he started, and Lucy joined him down on the grass and flowers, brown eyes practically bulging with enthusiasm. "First of all, meditation. You did this when you trained for the Grand Magic Games, Lucy-sama. Balance your mind, reach out for your soul."

It took her about ten seconds to realize he wanted her to do what he was saying, and setting her legs into a crossed position, she closed her eyes. Immediately her senses went on high alert, while her body relaxed as she took shallow breaths, slowly and tentatively. Her ears caught the soft rustles of the leaves nearby, the faint noises coming from the perky side of the city, the occasional birds, everything.

"Lucy-sama," Capricorn called, sternly yet quietly. The blonde reopened her eyes, staring up at the Goat curiously. He continued, "This magic sounds complicated, no?"

"Yes."

"Well then, you mustn't worry. The book implies it to be difficult for the ones that don't have Heartfilia blood in their veins. Therefore, there are steps you will follow."

Lucy leaned forward, fully caught in his words. Capricorn however, shook his head, much to her confusion.

"Today we merely meditate, Lucy-sama. You must do so every morning, in order to gather your magic and grasp it," he explained, and dropped his tone to a whisper. "You have a lot of potential. I can feel, just as we all spirits can, the level of your magic. You will make it."

She nodded slowly, and took it as a cue to begin meditating again. She refocused on the nature around her, the faint clatter of shoes that briefly went by, the voices coming from her surroundings, her own breathing, her heartbeat… it amazed her, the sounds a human, more specifically a mage, could pin point if focused enough.

But then an unwanted image struck her, filled with dark onyx eyes and toothy grins.

Lucy yelped, breaking the process. Her body snapped back to its usual, due to being glowing a bright light not a few seconds ago. She had her cocoa eyes wide and hurt all of a sudden, her lips parted in a silent cry and shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Lucy-sama," Capricorn called. His voice held a tinge of worry.

"He's not even letting me become stronger," she murmured, more to herself than to answer her spirit. Her head hung low, loose braid dangling over her shoulder, with blonde strands over her eyes in a dark manner.

No doubt of it, she was sure she looked pitiful. But she wanted to look strong. She wanted to look something like 'Hey, guess what Natsu? You ditched me, but I'm as strong as steel!'. That was nothing like how she looked. A sigh escaped her lips.

"How am I supposed to forget him?" she mumbled. Fake smiles were overrated for her now.

How was she supposed to forget her first friend? The one that showed her freedom? The one that brought her to Fairy Tail, that protected her, cared for her… until Lisanna came back from the dead, that is. Was it going to be like that in every attempt she made for happiness? She hoped not.

"You don't."

Lucy snapped her jaw up at the new voice. Loke was on his feet behind the sitting Capricorn, and for once he wasn't wearing his tinted shades. He held concern, yet kindness and determination in his dark eyes. The blonde frowned at his answer.

"I don't?"

"You don't forget Natsu, that's a fact," he said, smiling. "It's impossible, given how you feel for him. But what you can do is smile for his happiness, and become stronger in order to move on."

Though saying those words were a bit of an outrage for Loke—he still believed strongly that Natsu harbored the same feelings for his Mistress—he had to restore Lucy's belief in herself. And upon seeing her large smile and pink cheeks, he reckoned he did a good job.

"That's the first valid advice I've gotten in a while, Loke," she said, standing up from the grass and brushing off the snow on her knees. "Thank you."

"You're more than welcome, my princess," he said, smirking. Lucy's eye twitched.

"Please don't, I already deal with Virgo too much."

Loke chuckled, seemingly disregarding her request. Lucy rolled her eyes, but followed him away from the garden with crossed arms. Capricorn saluted her briefly, before going back to the Spirit Realm. A her brow creased when Loke placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Wha—"

"I'm taking you to the forest in the outskirts of Crocus," he said, and before Lucy had the chance to reply, her head was already swirling in nausea, a burst of colors dancing in her sight.

It was a matter of seconds before her feet touched the ground again, but her head was spinning and she had to take hold of Loke's arm.

"What… the heck was that?" she questioned, after capable of putting two words together.

"It's a way of transportation. Instead of bringing you to the Spirit Realm and _then _the forest, I brought us directly there," he explained, and pursed his lips amusingly. "Or here, if you prefer."

Lucy managed to steady herself, stepping back from Loke's chest. Indeed, she was now surrounded by handfuls of snowy trees, smelling the nature and faintly hearing birds chirping. Her eyes widened in wonder.

"I never knew there was a forest in the capital," she commented, lifting her head to study the pinnacle of silvery white that mildly blocked the sky.

"Not quite in the capital," Loke said, "Just near it. Your mood is best when in nature, did you know that?"

"Huh, no. I never really left Magnolia..."

He dismissed the melancholic tone and took a seat on the frosty grass, patting his side. Lucy smiled, and tore her attention away from the little nest of birds in a tree branch.

"What's the name of this forest?" she asked while plopping down on the ground.

"It doesn't have a specific name, so it's mostly called just Forest Groove," he said, "Not many people know this forest, but the ones that do always say it's the best place to strenghten your magic vessel. I think it has to do with the amount of nature in this place."

"If it has that much nature how big is this forest?"

"Not very big. You could say it's a compact forest: all good stuff in such a small space," Loke joked. Lucy giggled, standing to her feet, while he eyed her carefully. "I still maintain what I said, Lucy."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, her hands casually behind her back.

"What you said?"

"About Natsu loving you back."

_Ouch. Talk about party pooper, _Lucy thought, caught off guard. She did her best to look uninterested, taking long and bouncy steps around the snow. Loke obviously knew her strategy.

"Maybe you don't want to talk about it, but at least hear me out," he said. "For the time I've known Natsu, he didn't give a damn about girls. He treated them as normal friends and never got too close to one, except for Lisanna. But even that isn't enough to change my opinion, the way he looks at her isn't the same he looks at _you._"

"I know," she answered, quietly. "He looks at her like she's a _girl. _He looks at me like I'm _weird._"

"_No, _Lucy, he looks at you with the utmost care. When you're not looking, and when I'm around, I notice how he looks at you. With fierce pride, and a visible urge to protect you at any costs. I've never seen him act like that."

"Yes, he protects me, but he doesn't aknowledge me as a girl," Lucy retorted, now fully engrossed in a strange wild flower sprouting off the milky snow.

"About that, I have no comments," Loke said, torn between amusement and surprise. "But I've seen that look before. That look in his eyes, screaming 'I love her'. I know that look."

"Personal experience?" she teased, her tone overy innocent. However, she didn't expect Loke to gain a gentle look and a gracious smile.

"Perhaps."

Lucy didn't have to be a genius to know he was talking about Aries. She had seen the way they acted around each other, and they were her spirits. She just knew. A smile went up her lips before she could even notice, giving an eyeful at Loke. He rolled his eyes, but his smile made the whole purpose of seeming aloof worthless.

"The point is, he loves you. Maybe he hasn't realized it himself, but he does."

Lucy hummed silently with the Leo's opinion. The conversation was cut to a stop as she gathered the information, hearing birds and leaves rustling softly in the wind. After a while, she found herself closing her eyes and enjoying the presence of nature, ignoring the gooseflesh provoked by the cold on her bare neck.

"Then I'll just wait until he does."

Her voice was quiet and gentle, but Loke heard it nonetheless. Pleased with her resolve, the spirit smiled, and got himself up from the ground.

"Why did you bring me here, anyway?" Lucy inquired, bringing her attention to him with a raised eyebrow. Loke smirked, crossing his arms.

"Why, for training, of course."

* * *

**WOOOOO, training begins now! Watch it Luce, Loke's not exactly a weak fighter.**

**AAAND we got new Celestial magic! Okay, I made all of that up, Hiro Mashima holds no rights to my ideas, just as I don't hold rights to his awesome characters.**

**Review, my beloved ones…**


	4. Becoming Stronger

**Careful, dangerous words ahead. In fact, worry about this whole fic for potty mouths.**

* * *

Lucy hissed when feeling the ground brutally collide with her back. It was the fifth time Loke was able to dodge her attacks and knock her out of his way, and she had to be honest, it was pissing her off.

"I'm starting to regret this," she panted, rising from the ground quite shakily.

Loke lifted a brow at the sight of his Mistress. She wore a sleeveless white shirt and a pair of mid thigh leggings, both ripped at some spots and dirtied with sweat and nature fluids. Her usually luscious blonde hair now had a touch of disgrace, held in a messy ponytail with rebellious strands falling to her face. However, despite the exhausted exterior, her chocolate brown eyes literally _begged _Loke to come at her with everything he had. She was truly brave.

The snow had melted after three days, allowing the vivid green of the Forest Groove to break free in its enchanting beauty and biodiversity. However, the chilly winds of January were very much alive and nipping at their skins like human nails made of ice.

"No turning back now, Lucy," he began, while preparing another attack at her. "You said you wanted to become stronger! _This _isn't stronger!"

Lucy barely missed his hand, grimacing with irritation. He was ticking her off on purpose. She remembered the sequence, breathing in as quick as she could when seeing his upcoming hand. Left. Right. Below. Right. Left. Right. Below. Left. It was leaving her breathless and gasping for air like an asthmatic kid, but she kept it up. She had to be strong.

"Think about it: when we're done, you'll be able to take on everyone," Loke encouraged, and twirled on his feet when Lucy attempted a punch at him.

"If I ever land a punch on your damned cat face!" Lucy growled. As an answer to her wishes, Loke was caught off guard when her knuckles made a loud _crack _against his jaw. The Leo groaned slightly.

"You've always had devilish punches," he breathed. "Or kicks for that matter."

The blonde replied by handing him her infamous 'Lucy Kick', which generously distancied him from her. Lucy still winced when he hit the ground and slithered on the dirt. His white shirt was a mess and his coat was long gone.

"You're actually getting good," he complimented, and smirked. "Not bad for just three days."

"I guess I am," she jumped on him before he could even blink, tackling him to the ground, "a fast learner!"

He grinned, and expertly pushed her away from him, resulting in making her fly onto a tree trunk. Lucy hissed, landing on her knees with her back throbbing, but with an eye shut and gritted teeth, she launched at him with her fists and gave him a tasteful punch to the cheek. The fighting soon took its original pace: Left. Right. Below. Right. Left. Right. Below. Left. It went on for a while, before Lucy managed to kick him with a dominant scream and Loke rolled down in the grass with a bleeding mouth. Lucy herself had cuts and bruises from fighting to exhaustion, but they only egged her on.

"You are, indeed, a fast learner," Loke commented, rubbing his jaw and wiping away the blood with the sleeve of his shirt. The white stained with pale scarlet, but he paid it no mind.

"It's because you're a good teacher," Lucy said, smiling as she positioned herself in a fighting stance. He laughed at her compliment, mirroring her.

"Fair enough."

To his surprise, her foot was within his reach not a second after, kicking his jaw and sending him flying. At first, Lucy had been a little unsure about training. She didn't like to think she'd be hurting her spirits, but after a long and persuading discussion with Loke, he finally managed to convince her. As he rubbed his sore chin, Loke realized this might be a lot more painful than he had expected.

"Now _I'm _starting to regret this," he mumbled, a little grumpy. Lucy snorted quite audibly.

"Why, you think I might become better than you?" she taunted. Loke cursed himself for not noticing her incoming punch, stopping her knuckles from landing on his face at the last second.

"Something like that," he said, smirking.

"So," Lucy began, restarting their routine. Left. Right. Below. Right. Left. Right. Below. Left, "what's the deal with you and Aries?"

Loke was a bit caught off guard, breaking their rhythm momentarily. Lucy took the chance to attempt a kick to his left calf, but he was fast and pinned her to the ground instead. He grinned down at her, which she responded by pouting and glaring.

"I was half expecting one of your attempts to seduce me right now," she commented.

"To answer your question, I cannot do that anymore," he said, but then winked, smirking. "Why, do you want me to keep doing it?"

"Ugh, no."

"Figures."

He lifted himself off the ground, stretching a hand to help a kneeling Lucy. She took it, and he missed the unusual glint she had in her eyes. Might he have seen it, he'd probably be able of stopping her from pulling him down and forcing her knee between his legs in a violent and not so pleasant way.

"_Ow_! Lucy!" he groaned, bent over as she stood up with a huff.

"That's what you get for seducing someone other than Aries."

To her surprise and possibly joy, Loke breathed a laugh.

"Rephrase: Fair enough," he panted. The blonde smiled.

As the ginger haired Leo staggered up from the ground, Lucy eyed the woods, feeling strangely at peace. She couldn't feel at home. Even though she now lived somewhere else, the aura and smell were different, and her mind still liked to drift off to a certain pair of remarkable onyx eyes and a toothy grin that warmed her days. In order to distract herself from her overflowing feelings towards Natsu and how she deeply missed Fairy Tail, she trained with Loke and Capricorn to the exhaustion. Loke was a bit skeptical at first, but allowed her to vent in her very best. After all, she did want to become stronger. And he would help her.

"I somehow knew about your feelings," she started, a little dozed off. "About Aries, I mean."

"Well, you _are _our Mistress. It's only normal for you to sense our feelings, as we sense yours," Loke explained, still a little confused as to where she was staring intently at.

Lucy seemed surprised when he said the latter.

"So, you can all feel…?" she trailed. Loke didn't like how her voice was raspy and quiet.

"Unfortunately."

She stared at what Loke still failed to pinpoint, and let blissful silence wash over them. She was suffering, he was well aware of it. Stars, he just wanted to march back to Fairy Tail and knock Natsu's teeth off. The idiotic dragon. Loke had never seen someone so clueless.

"It's nice that, even through suffering, there's still beauty in this world," Lucy whispered, and Loke finally caught what she was staring at.

A sparrow. It was bouncing on the grass, occasionally flying farther to the side. Loke glanced at his Mistress, only to smile. Lucy was kneeling on the green, stretching her hand hesitantly with that kind, signature smile of hers. The little bird tilted its head curiously, heading towards her slowly. It was to Lucy's elation that he actually jumped onto her fingers, and allowed her to get up while he was bending over her palm.

"The world provides enough distractions," Loke said, smiling at the scene. Lucy smiled at him over her shoulder, and raised her arm up in the air. The sparrow took the cue, and stretched its little wings, flying away into the deep blue of the skies.

"Okay, how about a break? You need a shower," he said, bluntly. Lucy pouted.

"Thanks for telling me I stink."

"Well, your life stinks at this moment."

"Well, fuck you too."

Loke burst out laughing.

"I'd rather have Aries, though I'll be more than happy to satisfy your needs, princess," he winked, much to her displeasure.

"Good g…" she sighed, and laughed. "Old habits die hard."

She breathed in, appreciating the warm breeze momentarily. This forest was like her sanctuary. Even without Loke or any of her spirits, she'd come here to either explore or read a book as she leaned against a tree. So far, she had discovered a breathtaking clearing, perfect for relaxing and working on her novel.

Speaking of novel, the one she had originally started with was thrown to the bin. It was romantic and not a very good one, so Lucy opted by starting another one. The new novel was, according to Loke and Virgo—who had peeked at one of the chapters—so much better and intringuing. It was about a princess who longed for freedom, and one day, her kingdom was destroyed and she was forced to run away. In her journey, she was flabbergasted to meet a dragon, who revealed to be a half breed of a human and a dragon. He was the one that helped her fit in the wild and teached her how to defend herself.

Of course, Loke immediately noticed the similarities between her story and her life, but she knew he kept silent to not make her sad. He had nothing to worry though, she was well aware of it. Needless to say, she also didn't have a lot of inspiration lately. The part she was stuck in was too cheerful for her current mood.

Therefore, most of her attempts for distraction did roundabouts in training. With Loke, she'd fight and exercise until her muscles and bones shrieked in pain. It was working, even if it had only been a few days. Her reflexes were getting faster and her strength was increasing, to the point of being able to briefly knock down Loke. And he was an expert in martial arts, per se. If he went down on purpose and she found out, he'd go back to the Spirit World with bruises and after an earful from her. She did _not _want to win, she wanted to fight. To become stronger.

When it came to training with Caprico, it was the polar opposite of what she did with Loke. She'd meditate for hours, lost in her own vessel of magic as she stabillized her power and balanced her mind. Lucy felt her magic, her energy rippling through her body. Caprico had been right, she had more power than she was aware of. And she planned on bringing it out. She hadn't started working on the Grand Spells yet, but according to the Goat, she was ready, if she was willing to take that step.

"You're going to train with Caprico, right?" Loke questioned, bringing her feet back to the ground. Lucy nodded.

"I think I'm going to start on one of the Grand Spells today," she commented. He seemed rather pleased at this information.

"Expect me as your audience. I really want to know how it works, never heard of those spells before, and trust me, I'm a an immortal spirit, and I'm _old_."

Lucy snorted, smirking slightly.

"Oh god, one of my best friends is super old. Gross."

Loke pouted playfully. "It's this super old and gross man that protects you when you're in a pinch."

She grimaced. He did have a point there.

"Alright, fine, fifty points for the _hot_ lion," she teased, rolling her eyes. He grinned.

"Lucy admitted I'm hot! What's happening next, mosquitos drinking cappuccinos?" he said, grasping his hair dramatically. Lucy hit him in the shoulder, laughing loudly.

"Don't push it, cat."

* * *

Lucy squealed when her foot slipped on the marble tub as she tried to step out of her shower. Maybe she was a bit more sore than she originally presumed. Her calves and back hurt as she moved out of the slippery basin, a grimace drawn in her face at the pain. Exercising had its consequences, and she was paying the price.

After untying the knots in her shoulder muscles, the blonde dried herself off with her turquoise towel and tiptoed to her bedroom to get dressed, cursing the cold that quickly seeped into her flesh. She came out with her pink hair dryer in her hands, wearing—other than her new trusty combat boots and brown leather jacket—a flared black skirt, black stockings and a cotton sweater. Even though she quit the blue outfit, she still kept _some _of the usual attire. She decided to stop wearing so many low necklines and frilly skirts. To tell the truth, she didn't like them anymore. Maybe that was part of the process of growing up and maturing.

As she turned the blow dryer on, she nibbled on the inside of her mouth. She'd been doing that a lot, as a stress reliever. Better than biting her nails, and less filthy.

"My life sucks right now, huh, Plue?" she muttered, over the windy noise of the dryer.

"Pun, pun," he said, as if sadly agreeing. Lucy's lips twitched in a split second smile, before her face regained a nostalgic and gloomy expression. Ever since she'd left Fairy Tail and Natsu, she looked a lot more like that. She did try to put on a smile, for Loke and her spirits, but she was still sad and she couldn't deny it.

Sighing, Lucy turned off the dryer and began brushing her hair to braid her new trademark hairstyle. With quick and soft fingers, her hair was done and hanging loosely to her left shoulder, and spinning on her heels while grabbing a wool knitted scarf, Lucy left her spacious apartment for the second time that day. She wasn't too worried about Loke's whereabouts, he was probably already outside her apartment to take her back to the Forest Groove or still getting ready in the spirit world.

The mage smiled when Plue hopped the stairs with her, slightly dancing in her steps to mimick him and brighten her mood. The little dog kept dancing out of the building, and Lucy skipped two steps with a happy jump. A laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it, but she paid it no mind. She liked being entertained like this.

_If Natsu was here_… he'd probably blink confusedly at her, shake his head and grin her _that _grin, calling her weird. Even through the unwanted memories, even through the sharp pain her chest felt, Lucy laughed at the picture in her head.

"Pun!" Plue squealed, excitedly, like he was approving of her smile. It only made her smile widen.

"Thank you, Plue," she said, scooping him in her arms. "And thank you, all of my spirits, for the support."

The latter came as a whisper, barely audible over the wind and loud voices from the passersby. However, a sudden warmth coming from her right side of her belt implied she had been heard and acknowledged. Spotting a tuft of ginger over the crowd, Lucy waved at Loke, walking towards him quickly.

"Feeling refreshed?" he asked, smiling as he stretched his hand.

"What do you think?" she deadpanned. She took his hand in hers, holding Plue with her left arm, before that faint sensation of nausea dawned on her and brought her back to their trusty forest. Except, they arrived at a colorful meadow, fanning with the wind and calling out to her with its vivid colors.

"This is beautiful," Lucy breathed, releasing his hand while regaining her sense of balance. Loke smiled.

"Virgo somehow found it," he explained, and tried to walk through the grass without stepping over the flowers.

Lucy decided to follow him, closing Plue's gate for knowing the second half of her usual training started now. When Loke stopped walking, she was standing not far from Caprico, who sat down on the green with crossed legs. Taking the cue, Lucy slid to the ground, mimicking his position.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lucy," he greeted, smiling. She retrieved the kind gesture.

"How are things, Caprico?" she asked. The Goat twitched his lips half heartedly.

"I believe I should be asking you that question, Miss Lucy."

She didn't have to turn around to see Loke's knowing look. She merely puckered her lips at Caprico, straightening her back.

"I'm alive."

Loke chuckled darkly.

"Not thanks to Natsu, or Fairy Tail."

Lucy glared at him over her shoulder, which Loke took as a warning to shut up for the rest of the session. He mimicked a seal over his lips, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Shall we start?" Caprico questioned. She nodded. "Very well. Open your mind, Miss Lucy, seek for your inner magic like never before."

Lucy obliged, immediately getting lost in the soothing feeling of her power breaching inside her body. She learned to ignore the whistles of the winter wind, latching onto particular things like her own breathing, the feel of grass and petals kissing her clothed legs, Loke shifting from one foot to another. If she concentrated enough, she'd hear more. Caprico had said it, she was getting very good. This kind of concentration she was reaching now was nothing compared to the amount she struggled with in her training for the Grand Magic Games in the previous year. Now, she pictured her magic into solid, like Caprico had always advised. Lucy's mind began filling up with spectacular images of starry galaxies, sparkling stars, unknown planets—it all boiled in her mind and soul.

Loke raised his brow, impressed. Lucy's body was gleaming white, with a speck of golden, as she meditated. The pair of golden strands framing her face swayed violently in the wind, along with the red plaid scarf clinging to her neck. Never had she looked so focused, so mature. She had clearly grown up. She was indeedturning eighteen this year. Her goal to become stronger would definitely be achieved.

Suddenly, Lucy gasped, tilting her chin and chest up as the glow erupting from her body became brighter, to the point of blindness. At first, she seemed to be in pain, but then the glow slowly faded into an emerald shade that perfectly matched the grass she sat on. Her closed eyes squeezed, and then opened. Both Caprico and Loke widened their eyes at the sight.

Much like Urano Metria, only somehow different, a luminous and circular pattern endowed her chocolate eyes, glowing light green. Loke found himself lost in mirages of forests, rivers, woods, mountains, flowers, animals and much more as he stared into her shining eyes, entranced by the magic. The pattern itself resembled a mix of the continents of planet Earth and Earthland—they had learned this spell had originated in another world, like Edolas—along with Celestial symbols and magic characters.

A generous amount of time passed by, before her eyes faded back to normal, but the glow still hovered on her. Lucy blinked, knitting her brow.

"What just happened?" she whispered, quietly.

Much to her surprise, Caprico smiled, looking amazed.

"This is quite surprising to be happening so soon, but you are apparently stronger than we expected," he said. Lucy blinked.

"I still don't understand."

Loke grinned, kneeling next to the blonde. He looked… proud.

"This," he gestured to the green glow, "is trying to tell you that you're ready to learn the first Grand Spell, the Earth, and Earthland if you prefer, spell."

Lucy's eyes widened like a pair of saucers, just as Caprico placed the Eight Grand Spells manual on her hands. As if reacting to the glow, the manual instantly opened, flipping pages at the speed of sound, before stopping abruptly in a green decorated section. The letters of the title gleamed, to beckon her.

Sano Terram.

That was the name of the first Grand Spell. Lucy gripped the manual tightly in her hands, reading the contents with squinted eyes.

_The Healing spell. Earth has the essence of life, of beauty and strength, therefore it is given to its mother element, Earth. It can heal any type of wounds, bruises or poison, majorly the caster's own injuries, and if the mage is powerful enough, it can bring corpses back to life. This is the first spell a Celestial mage must attempt to dominate before all other seven Grand Spells._

Lucy was super impressed. She would be able to heal herself? Heal others? Bring people _back to life_? It all sounded so incredibly hard to believe, but the power and glow emanating from her body said otherwise. She could feel it, her body was begging her for this.

"Alright. Step one ready to be concluded," she joked. Loke smirked.

When she said those words, the paragraph imprinted on the other page caught her attention by glowing green. Scanning the contents with her eyes, she turned to Caprico in confusion.

"What's this?"

"Those are the words you must read aloud to begin mastering Sano Terram. Each spell has their own."

Lucy nodded, standing to her feet with a fierce expression. With a deep breath and a soothing embrace from the wind, she began chanting the words that had her body glowing in an even brighter green.

"_Open the gates to life, close the gates to death,_

_In all your kindness and love, I bind my soul with Earth and its twin, Earthland,_

_To heal loved ones, to save lives at risk,_

_To master the art and element of Cure,_

_And search within the depths of the mystery of Life, _

_Be it on rational, be it on irrational,_

_I summon the abillity to maneuver infinite healing…_

_Oh holy Asclepius, must you be kind,_

_To allow my possession over your power and call it forth,_

_SANO TERRAM!"_

The familiar pattern overtook her eyes once again, and her world exploded in light and _green_.

* * *

**There. The Earth/Earthland spell. If you're re-reading this chapter, you'll know it's changed.**

**REVIEW!**


	5. Realization

**And now… the answer to everyone's wish…**

**FAIRY TAIL, NATSU. ENJOY, KITTIES!**

* * *

The time of Lisanna Strauss's wonderful return had everyone in the guild delighted to have their companion back. Drinks were poured, laughter was heard, happiness was shared. Fairy Tail truly was relieved and joyful at the girl's come back from the dead.

Of course, with the S-Class Mage Trial and the Grand Magic Games, there wasn't much time to catch up with her. So, after the horrors and problems that had surged, Team Natsu decided to spend some time with her, be it to know how well she knew Edolas or to go on one or two missions.

But, apparently, they didn't count the time they spent with her.

"We're back!"

Several heads turned to the the source of the voice, everybody acknowledging the group with either a nod or a cheerful greeting. Bursting through the guild doors, Team Natsu and the female Strauss siblings came inside, returned from a two week long mission.

"Man, was that a troubling mission or what?!" Natsu sighed loudly, while slumping on a stool heavily. Gray raised his brow, grinning slyly.

"Only you hot lava to think a mission that easy was troubling."

"Wanna say that again, frozen testicles?!"

"You're on, fire balls!"

Lisanna sighed, grinning slightly at the brawl between the two frenemies. Mira giggled.

They had left after Lisanna's agreeance, deciding to pick an easier mission, even though the mission Erza picked was quite the nail biter. They completed it though, through some difficulties, but nonetheless completed it.

"Did you do well without me, Kinana?" Mira questioned, smiling kindly as she stepped behind the counter, next to the other barmaid. Kinana smiled.

"As best as I could, though I missed having your company."

Erza approached the corner of the bar stool where Master Makarov stood, legs crossed and head down as if deep in thought. She cleared her throat, eventually, gaining his attention before he looked down again.

"We completed the task, Master."

"Ah. The beast was slayed, then?" he inquired.

"Thoroughly."

Master nodded, leaving Erza to frown at his sudden agonizing aura. Then again, Master was always quite mysterious. Merely shrugging, she sat down on a bar stool, already ordering her usual slice of strawberry cheesecake. She didn't even pay attention to Natsu and Gray's fight, which knocked down several chairs and broke countless glasses in twirls of ice and fire. Charle tried desperatly to escape the damaging the pair was erupting as she flew towards Wendy, but was failing miserably at dodging Natsu's fire.

"Hey, stop trying to roast me alive!" she complained.

"Aye!" Happy simply said. Charle grunted at his cluelessness, placing a paw on her forehead.

"Don't just say 'aye'…"

"Aye!"

Wendy giggled when Charle sighed exasperatedly. Behind her and next to Levy as usual, Gajeel raised an eyebrow at Natsu and Gray. To say he was surprised was an understatement. Even his little bookworm had stunned him by missing it.

"We have enough money to pay for the Fairy Hills rent now," Wendy said to Charle. At that same time, Natsu and Gray had stopped fighting and were panting as they sat on a pair of stools.

Natsu blinked, elbowing the counter to keep himself up. He had an unreadable expression in his face.

"Rent?" he repeated, quietly. Happy frowned and Gray straightened his position, suddenly tuned.

"Something's missing," Gray stated, in a strange tone.

Other than their recent brawl and the chit-chatters around the guild hall, Fairy Tail was quiet. Calm. With no loud voices or extremely embarrassing or funny situations. Natsu eyed his surroundings, suspicious. Something was definitely missing, but what? Cana was there, drinking as usual, Reedus was painting a portrait of Macao, Elfman was happily chatting with Lisanna, Levy was stuck up reading a book, with—hey, was that Gajeel giving him a death glare? And Laxus, next to a bowing gramps, rasing an eyebrow at him and Gray, his eyes borderlining… disappointment?

And then it hit him. His eyes went wide with bewilderement, and he jumped from the bar stool headily. How had he not seen it before? How in the world had he failed to realize it?

"Where's Lucy?"

His voice was loud and demanding, hinted with panic. The question itself was enough to startle the whole guild and have it quieten, many stunned and confused faces showing in the crowd. Murmurs then crawled their way into the guild, everyone asking each other that same question Natsu had demanded.

"He's right, where _is _Lucy?"

"Come to think of it… I haven't seen her in three months!"

"Oh Mavis, where is she?!"

Eventually, the murmuring became shouting, and Erza violently jumped out of her stool, dropping her fork in the process.

"Silence!" she yelled. At her explosive tone, they all immediately obeyed.

Much to their surprise, Master Makarov looked up with a strict, yet let down expression in his face as he roamed his eyes through everybody. Even Erza was confused.

"I'm disappointed," he began, in a hoarse voice. "I'm so astonishly disappointed in all of you that I cannot describe the severity of what I feel."

"Gramps…?" Natsu said, frustrated. He then flinched when his eyes stared directly into his, burning with anger, sadness, and most of all, _disappointment._

"Especially in you, Natsu. Mavis, I knew you were clueless, but to be _this _clueless?" he croaked, narrowing his eyes at the fire mage. Cleansing his throat, Makarov spoke up, furious, "Lucy has left Fairy Tail. And none of you have realized she has been gone for three months."

Makarov inhaled, closing his eyes.

"And if what she intended to do goes right, she probably won't be back."

Silence. Never had it seemed so angsty, or bitter, or saddening. Erza dropped her cake to the ground in shock, wide eyed. Gray froze in his spot, displaying the same face as Erza's. Levy felt her hold on her book loosen, as tears filled her eyes to the brim. Mira didn't even notice the wine glass she was cleaning shatter to the ground. Cana stopped midway from taking a sip of her liquor. Juvia stopped gushing over Gray and brought a hand to her mouth, tears in her eyes. So many reactions were seen, so many tears were shown, but no reaction compared to _his._

Shaking uncontrollably with his salmon hair dangling in front of his eyes, Natsu dropped to his knees, gripping the ground with his nails, like gravity was pulling him upside down. In a flash, tears were soaked in his cheeks and his teeth gritted, while he silently cried. Lisanna, with tears in her eyes, tried to soothe him by placing a hand on his back. It was to her shock that Natsu growled through his tears and yanked her hand off, standing up to face the Master.

"Why?! Why didn't you _stop _her?! Why would she do this?!" he cried out, throatily. Makarov closed his eyes, avoiding the enraged mage's piercing stare.

"I tried to stop her. I tried reasoning with her. But Lucy was determined about her decision," he explained, and turned angry. "And the reason she did this is confidential. You'll have to figure it out by yourself."

Natsu curled his hands into fists, the tears free falling by now. His heart felt like it was being ripped apart, his head getting dizzy and mind foggy. He was losing balance of himself, and would collapse at this rate. Instead, he gritted his teeth, turning sharply and knocking his shoulder against Lisanna's roughly. He was headed for the guild entrance, and his intentions were clearly obvious.

"Natsu," Makarov called, in a stern voice, "you are strictly forbidden from going out to search for Lucy's whereabouts."

The Dragon Slayer stiffened, and turned harshly, ready to come at him with a string of not so pretty words and defy his order, before a large fist knocked him to the ground. Makarov was dead serious.

"If you so much as try, you'll be banned from doing missions for a year."

Natsu didn't answer. He simply lied on the floor, even after Master recoiled his hand. Erza warily approached him, touching his shoulder. Gray wasn't far behind, a hand to his head with his lips strained. Natsu then flinched, avoiding Erza's touch like her fingers were made of acid. Staggering up with his head down, he slowly walked out of the guild, into the cloudy day. No one dared to follow him, not even Lisanna.

He didn't know for how long he'd been wandering around Magnolia. He was unaware of the time, and allowed his feet to guide him. Rain had eventually began to pelt down, dampening his hair and giving it a violet ish shade as it curtained his dark expression. He just kept walking, hands shoved in his soaked pockets and ignoring the feeling of his clothes clinging to his body from the rain. He didn't even know how to feel, where to go, what to do. Through his moist bangs, Natsu could see that the day was foggy, gray. Just like his heart. Why did he feel like this? So void, so _broken_? Like his chest had been a ticking bomb for this whole time and this was triggering it?

After bumping into a brick wall, Natsu realized his feet had lead him to Lucy's apartment. _Old _apartment. Rubbing the spot in his head where he'd hit, the fire mage pursed his lips, and jumped up in hopes of finding the window open and the busty blonde greeting him with a 'Lucy Kick', that this was all just a sick prank and everything would be back to normal. That the clouds would fly away and the rain would stop mixing with his tears, and give birth to a beautiful day as sunny as Lucy's soft hair and as warming as her cocoa eyes.

But, of course, fate liked to toy with him. Even though the window was wide open, hope riling in his chest, the small flat was dusty and more silent than space vacuum. Natsu's shoulders immediately slumped, onyx eyes blinking away yet another wave of tears and a possible meltdown. Lucy wasn't there. She wasn't in the apartment. She wasn't in Fairy Tail. She wasn't in Magnolia. And, worst of all, she wasn't in his life anymore. Unaware of the impact the realization had in him, Natsu fell to his knees, staring at the ceiling.

"Why…? _Why_?!" he cried, desperately. This was so out of character from him, but he was just so utterly shocked.

First Igneel, then he was tricked with Lisanna, and now Lucy. _Why?_ Why was his life revolved around losing the most important people in his life?

The words rang in the back of his mind, but he'd never dare to speak them aloud. He hid it all behind a smile, behind laughter and ignorance, something Lucy had been starting to see. She was truly the only one that had hinted to suspect of his overly cheerful behavior. Natsu himself had vaguely realized it was a defense of his own when Mira pointed out examples of mind scarred people who smiled to hide their pain, but he preferred not to dwell on the matter. And Lucy had seen it before he could even know it himself. She was the closest person he'd ever had, alongside Igneel. The one that reached his soul _that _deeply.

Natsu gritted his teeth, his head falling down to his chest. It wasn't fair. Just so unfair.

He merged with silence. He didn't like silence. Natsu felt himself shaking, and inhaled, despite having his breath strained. He jolted from the floor and wiped away the tears with the back of his hand and arm, refusing to cry. He wanted to punch the wall, break it to shreds, scream in agony, but he remained frozen on the spot.

"I assume you must be Natsu Dragneel."

How he had failed to notice the steps and smell of Lucy's landlady was beyond his knowledge. He glanced over his shoulder, met with the woman's arm stretched and a slip of paper held in her hand. He frowned.

"She requested I'd give you this before she left," she said, and pulled out a plastic bag with what seemed a pink cloth inside. "And this as well."

Natsu reached out and accepted both, curiosity overriding his previous sadness. When he heard footsteps signaling the landlady had left, he decided to open what seemed a letter.

_Dear Natsu,_

_I'll probably be already gone when you read this, if you ever do. I'm sorry I didn't say anything about leaving, but that's the whole point. Natsu, you're happy now. You've got your best friend Lisanna back and your family supporting you… I don't want to meddle with your happiness, it'd break my heart to see you sad._

Meddle with his happiness? Natsu's head spun faster than a windmill during a hurricane.

_I've decided to leave because I'm no use to you anymore. From the moment we met, I was destined to be your consolation prize and that's… fine. I'm glad I was useful to someone. I was only meant to be your shoulder to cry on, the replacement of Lisanna and that's fine. Which leads us to the main reason why I left. Even though I began realizing it, even though I was supposed to just be your mourning rock, my heart disobeyed that rule._

_I love you, Natsu. I want to be with you, to kiss you breathless and passionately, to have you all to myself and be yours, and to hear you reply those little four words that would make me the happiest girl in the world. A whimsical dream. But hey, dreams are still tax free._

_You must think I'm so cheesy, writing this. You're probably calling me a weirdo by now. But you know I'm a passionate writer, and an avid reader, so things like these are kind of impossible for me to _not _include in a letter. But, I'll say it again, I love you. And that's why you'll never see me again._

_Lisanna is a lucky girl, Natsu. You're my type of guy, you know? I only realized it recently, huh… you're the risqué level of assertive, but that's what makes you even more amazing. Take good care of Lisanna, okay? She's a nice girl. If you ever have children, hey, don't let Happy influence them. Same to you. Just kidding._

_Goodbye Natsu. I love you. I'll always love you._

_Yours truly,_

_Lucy._

Natsu couldn't even pinpoint an exact reaction. All he knew is that he felt a twirl of shock, confusion, relief, happiness, desperation, anger and others he could not understand gnawing at his chest. His fingers lost sense of touch, and the paper fell to the ground, swinging merrily in the air beforehand.

Lucy loved _him_.

Lucy _loved _him.

_Lucy _loved him.

He had no idea as to what this fuzzy feeling in his stomach was, or why those three words in the paper had his head light and involuntary grin tugging at his lips. But, the happiness quickly subsided as the painful words repeated in his head.

_You'll never see me again._

_Lisanna is a lucky girl…_

Natsu couldn't even react anymore, he didn't even care anymore. He could definitely feel the tears pinching his eyes and utter confusion in his head, his mouth parting with a silent hiccup, a sudden picture involving golden hair and big, beautiful brown eyes staining his memories. Silently falling to the floor once again, Natsu slowly reached for the contents of the plastic bag she had left for him. Slightly elated and surprised to find her old pink duvet brushing against his calloused fingers, he pulled the warm fabric out of the bag and buried his nose in the softness. A soft groan escaped his lips. Her scent was there, and _vivid. _Only after more intense smelling and melting from him, the fire mage noticed the small note hanging by the plastic bag.

_I know you always liked my bed, but I had to take the mattress with me. So, as a little gift, you can have my duvet – Lucy._

Natsu gripped the note like it was a threatning warning putting his life at stake. In a way, it was. His life was already changing so much, with Lucy gone, he didn't think he could handle being away from her. He _couldn't. _He should, right? He was Natsu Dragneel, the one that moved on without the slightest of problems, that made his own fate and fought for his family. He should be able to forget about the girl he cared the most.

But he wasn't.

Why did she think he loved Lisanna? What made her reach that conclusion? He didn't love her, she was just a close friend. She meant nothing compared to what he felt for Lucy.

… Exactly. His feelings for Lucy were stronger than anything he'd ever faced before, and he didn't mean in in the friendship way.

* * *

"Natsu…"

The called mage looked up to meet the concerned and teary eyes of Happy. Natsu had stayed overnight at Lucy's old apartment, tucked in her duvet and absorbed in her scent like he was drowning in the vast sea. It felt like she was there, his head leaning on her shoulder and her arms locked around him as she stroked his hair.

"Hey, Happy," he muttered, scratching the back of his foster son's ears. Happy frowned sadly, and hugged Natsu, burying his snout on the crook of his neck.

"I wished I slept in her apartment too, but Erza told me to stay and let you have some time to yourself," he cried softly. "I agreed…"

"Thank you," Natsu whispered. "I needed it."

Happy sniffled, hugging him closer.

"Is she really gone, Natsu…? Is she?" he sobbed. Natsu frowned his lips for a moment, overthinking those words. After plentiful decisions, he tightened his hold on the blue cat.

"No."

Happy blinked confusingly, tilting his head back to stare into Natsu's onyx eyes. They held sadness and nostalgia, but most of all, determination.

"Natsu?"

"I'm bringing her back."

Happy jumped to the table they stood at.

"But Master…" he trailed, suddenly unsure of his words at the fierceness in the pink haired mage's eyes. Natsu seemed to have made a decision and would not give up on it.

"I'm going to find her. No matter what."

* * *

**Sorry it's a shorter chapter, but I just wanted you guys to read this as soon as possible.**

**And we finally get to know how Natsu feels about her, but as some sort of hint… kind of makes **_**me **_**the bastard here. I'm the one making them suffer. Oh god, I'm such a bastard to my characters, and to you all for that matter. MUAHAHAHAHA.**

**Anywho, REVIEWS. I'm dying of hunger for REVIEWS. And if I die, you'll never know what happens next…**


	6. Intruders

**Not sure what to say here. Bleh! There. Dracula…**

**ENJOY.**

* * *

Lucy watched in awe at the green glow she produced from her fingers, pouring it into the bruise she had earned from training with Loke. The reddish purple began subsiding painlessly, leaving nothing but soft skin and healthy flesh in its wake. She smiled, proud of her work.

She still remembered her encounter with the god—_goddess_. Asclepius. She had descended upon her words, eyeing her with serene, welcoming green eyes. She had been stunned with her greek flowing ropes, bare feet and peridot plus emerald jewels holding the cloth over her chest, delicate face framed by locks of hazelnut hair that flowed to her small back and dangled off her pale arms. Her eyelids were tinted with a garish tone of green that swirled artistically around her eyes, the corners glistening with small pale gems and eyelashes beautifully long.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" she'd inquired, in a honey warm voice with an imperious tinge. Gulping, Lucy replied by nodding.

"Then my powers are at thy service," she'd proclaimed. "Thou has began mastering the Cure, Sano Terram, and art bound to this holy embodiment of mine."

She bound their hands together with a few light strings that gleamed green. Her touch felt vague, invisible and strangely soothing.

Lucy didn't know how to respond, so she'd followed her instinct, and bowed respectively. Asclepius nodded, acknowledging her with a serene, calm face. When she slowly disappeared, the black letters of the manual that read 'Sano Terram' had burst in green, signaling the Cure spell was under control. Ever since then, Lucy had been capable of healing the wounds she received during training, stomach aches, headaches, the cramps, any type of discomfort. She'd use it on Loke too, when he got knocked out by her quite roughly. After three months og putting it into practice, she could safely say she quite dominated the spell.

It wasn't just Sano Terram. She'd dominated two other more in the last three months, such as the Light spell and the Wind spell, Venus Lucem and Urano Caeli.

Since Venus was known for its brilliance, it was given to the Light. The spell could either blind opponents, be used as a way of distraction or simply be used to lighten the surroundings for the caster's benefit. Lucy's magic had deemed her worthy of learning the Light spell a month after Sano Terram, glowing unabashedly golden and creating a stunning pattern of stars in her eyes. It was strinkingly similar to Urano Metria. Her voice had came out loud and clear as she chanted the words granting her control of the two gods' magic that were bound to Venus Lucem.

"_Shine bright in the core of Venus,_

_Shine bright in this core of mine,_

_You will blind my foes, you will brighten my path,_

_You will be the sacred light that guides my fate._

_I shall extinguish the Dark with your Light in my hand,_

_I shall gleam in beauty and outstand the world._

_Oh holy Aphrodite, grant me your beauty,_

_Oh holy Apollo, grant me your Light,_

_VENUS LUCEM!"_

The tales had not lied. The goddess Aphrodite was beauty incarnated, with wavy blonde hair that fell to her naked body and entrancing blue eyes, so entrancing that Lucy realized why she was the goddess of love, beauty and sexuality. Her mind had drifted off to a racy scenario of her and Natsu the moment she laid eyes on that pair of aquamarine blue, and blushed vividly upon the goddess's mischievous smile. Apollo had a lighter shade of blonde to his curly hair, a purely white greek rope clinging to his toned chest and falling to his strong legs. His irises were the color of honey.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" the god had inquired, calmly.

"Yes."

"Then our powers are at thy service," Aphrodite concluded, her tone implying confidence. "Thou has began mastering the Light, Venus Lucem, and art bound to this pair of holy embodiments."

The three joined hands, the same feeling of touch she had felt from Asclepius in their fingers, and the strings that bound them to each other were golden instead of green. They had retreated after Lucy's respectful bow, and the letters of Venus Lucem glowed yellow to prove the Light spell was going through the first steps of being dominated. She'd used it only a few times, one of them to read a book she was addicted to when the lights went out, due to a temporary power cut.

Now, the third one already involved a second element of the usual four, Water, Fire, Earth—Lucy preferred the term Flora—and Air. Specifically speaking, Lucy practically mastered the latter two.

_The Wind spell. This one allows the caster to fly and enhances their speed, and it is given to the said element Wind. The caster can call forth hurricanes or very strong winds and, if powerful, steal the air within the opponent's lungs, deciding to either completely kill the opponent or just to steal their consciousness._

This one was tricky and a lot more complex. Lucy had failed at her first attempt to seek out the magic within her that lead her the first step of Urano Caeli. Her shoulders had slumped in defeat, feeling guilt and disappointment rush in. Weakness. She'd been practically known for that word. And failing like this only made her worse.

"Try again," Loke had said. "Remember, making _one _mistake isn't the end of the world. Try again."

She'd blinked away the tears pooling in her eyes, hesitantly obeying. It took longer to find the correct balance for the Wind, eventually hours passing by as she tried to reach the spell's confines, but she made it. When she let go of her pessimistic attitude and regained her fierceness and determination to become stronger, she finally made it. The magical glow warped into a silvery white color, her eyes filled with glimmering symbols resembling hurricanes and unknown characters, and at that exact time, she rised from the ground to chant the words to the spell.

"_Thy winds that blow, thy air that lives,_

_Allow it to consumme, and to be heavenly consummed,_

_For I will ask for the skills of Uranus,_

_To aid me in battle, to aid me in life,_

_To defeat my enemies, to mold Air with my hands,_

_Grant my body the will to fly and the will to blend,_

_I hereby call forth the power of the king of winds, Aeolus,_

_To meld my soul to his bristly storms,_

_URANO CAELI!"_

Lucy regretted having worn a skirt that time. As soon as the echo of her words died down, a massive blow of wind swirled around the trio, lifting plants and knocking her backwards from such sheer force. Loke fortunately had caught her, just in time to see a bearded figure materiallizing upon her. It was a tall and muscular man, with raven black hair and silvery eyes that bore into hers mindlessly. Aeolas. Being the fourth god with typically greek ropes, Lucy naturally assumed all gods from above wore such vests.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" he asked, just like the others.

"Yes." Her voice was starting to come off confident.

Aeolas nodded slowly, and brought her hand to his in wires of silver and light. The connection felt airy and fresh, hovering on her wrist and hand.

"Then my powers art at thy service," he declared, "Thou has began mastering the Wind, Urano Caeli, and art bound to this holy embodiment of mine."

On cue, Lucy bowed, and Aeolas vanished along with the strong winds and whistles. The letters 'Urano Caeli' gleamed white, before fading and closing the book with a _whoosh._ Now the Air, Lucy used it more often. Be it to blow dry her hair, cool down her morning coffee or even in training with Loke, sending him flying to a tree as an attack. The more she used the spell, the stronger and more obedient her winds became.

Lucy exhaled, shrugging into her jacket and slipping on her boots. By now, April had knocked on the door, so today she opted by a white tank top, a pair of denim shorts and white stockings. This time, Virgo was the one bringing her to the Forest Groove, and she easily took her hand. That nausea due to spinning between three worlds in one second punched her stomach, and she bent over with a displeased groan. By the sight of green weeds embracing her leather boots, she looked up warily.

"I hate moving around like that," she hissed. Virgo remained silent.

The blonde rotated her shoulder to crack the knots away. Midday sunlight seeped into the colorful forest, glistening newborn wild flowers and beckoning birds and deers to come out. This was the official call of spring.

"Miss Lucy," Capricorn's voice was heard, and Lucy finally noticed him standing in the middle of the clearing Virgo had brought her to. She instantly joined him on the dirty ground.

"Hello, Capricorn," she greeted enthusiastically. He smiled, and there was a gleam to his eyes behind his shades.

"I am glad you are in a good mood," he said, presenting her the spell manual, "because we are going to call forth Hephaestus, the God of Fire."

Lucy froze. The Mercury spell and the strongest element.

"A—Are you sure I'm ready for it?" she questioned, a little intimidated by the book in her lap.

"You have never been more ready, Miss Lucy."

The Celestial mage nibbled on her lower lip, eyeing the cover. This was also quite the challenge. She had only mastered Urano Caeli recently, she didn't know if she was be ready for the strongest element of them all.

"Trust me, Miss Lucy," he assured. "Trust yourself. Believe in your power, in your magic."

Lucy blinked, going stiff, but then breathed in. She closed her eyes, allowing the sounds and scents of nature wash over her senses, before she reopened them. They held a hint of bravery and belief they didn't hold before.

"I'll do it."

She closed her eyes again, the moment she spoke. Lucy seeked, _seeked, _deep in her reservoir of magic the slightest glimmer of fire, of heat, of passion. Had her memories with Natsu helped her or not, she didn't know, yet she kept them alive in her head. She sought to be burned, for the Fire hidden deep in her vessel, and for the courage such element brought along.

It had probably been hours, perhaps into mid afternoon, but Lucy never gave up. She was sweating, her eyes and lips squeezed tight in sheer concentration. Never had she worked so hard for her magic.

Suddenly, it was there. She didn't know how, or when for that matter, but it was there. As soon as she felt that fervent sliver of hot magic in her soul, she latched onto it like a leech. Lucy growled—which Loke, who had arrived not long after she started, easily compared the sound to a furious animal like reaction—springing to her feet with the manual glowing an intense reddish orange. The pages flipped harshly, halting sharply in one embedded in shades of red, orange and yellow.

Aestus Mercurius. The Fire spell, might it be the strongest one out of all eight.

Lucy snapped her eyes open. Her chocolate eyes were hidden behind a glowing layer of a fiery pattern, the curves and lines resembling flames encripted in a thousand blades. Her natural golden glow turned into what seemed flames erupting from her body, and her power felt stronger than ever.

She parted her lips, her voice coming out loud and clear,

"_In where the gates of Mercury harbour Heat,_

_In my body burns the soul of Fire…_"

"Lucy, watch out!" Loke suddenly screamed.

As if on cue, Lucy caught a pair of green vices aiming at her, by the corner of her eye. Before she could react, Loke jumped onto her back, pushing her out of the path.

_No! _she cried internally, as the strong magic and seething aura began fading from her body, _I was going so well, it was right __**there**__!_

Angered at the interruption, the blonde roughly pried herself off of Loke's protective arms, glow returning as silvery white. Lucy relied on her newly heightened senses of perception and battle, and felt the presence fading to her left.

"Urano Caeli!" she called, a turmoil of air bursting out of her fists.

She willed her winds to bring the attacker forward, her eyes flashing a blend of silver and wrath. The person cried out at her command, flying backwards through stashes of trees and leaves, and falling heavily onto Lucy's feet. The blonde stared, as _she _struggled to get up from the ground.

It was a short girl, with long curly hair to her hips that matched the dark brown of the trees surrounding them. She was a petite girl, very skinny and narrow waisted, but Lucy didn't fail to notice that despite such, her bosom was nearly the same size as hers. Her shoulders were clad in a denim jacket, a simple white shirt beneath. She wore Lucy's choice of clothing from the waist down, but instead of combat boots, she wore a pair of red chucks.

The girl looked up from behind that curtain of mahogany hair, finally standing up. Her eyes were round and big, with a devious mix of innocence and confidence, merged in irises of emerald green.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the brunette spat, furious.

Lucy was already angry for not finishing her strongest spell, and if the cause of the interruption was talking crap at her, she'd explode.

"What the hell I think _I'm _doing? You fucking attacked me!" Lucy cursed, and could hear Loke vaguely laughing, not far behind.

The girl seemed slightly peeved at the accusation, yet her eyes shined with realization and a pinch of regret.

"Argh, sorry," she muttered, and spun on her heels, towards the left. "I was chasing some bandits down and felt your presence. I thought you were one of them."

At her apology, Lucy's anger died down a bit, and her kindness came into play.

"That's okay. Tell you what, I'll help you catch them," she suggested. "How's that sound?"

The brunette twitched her lips, eyeing her carefully. After some thorough inspectioning, with narrowed eyes, she shrugged.

"Sure, why not?"

"Lucy," Loke suddenly asked, "do you need us?"

She knew what he was implying. A test to her new abillities. With a shake of her head, Loke nodded, smiling. Lucy smiled as well and turned to the brunette, which she mirrored the lip gesture, and both sprinted off towards left. They passed countless trees and blotches of green, cracking twigs and jumping over mossy rocks as they tried to find the bandits. Lucy perked her ears and felt her blood boiling in anticipation. She could hear birds, their feet, their ragged breathing…

Lucy grinned, spotting a pair of dusty looking men making a run for it. Noticing the nod from the short brunette, she launched at them with a war cry, tackling one to the ground easily. He struggled beneath her, eyeing her with a panicked look, but Lucy gave him one of her infamous glares, those that could match Erza's wrath in a millisecond. That had definitely shut him up, and with a twirl of her fingers, a pair of airborne cuffs appeared in his hands, thin yet sinfully strong.

"Got one!" she yelled, and got up from the dirty ground, just as another pair of bulky men joined the party.

Lucy glanced at the brunette, who was expertly fighting the other thug despite her tiny stature. Lucy sprung to her feet, when the two men charged at her. With quick hands, she unfastened her _fleuve d'étoiles_ from her belt and latched it around one of them, using the man's body as leverage for her feet and for a punch across the other's face. After dealing with two, the turned to the tied man, smiling slightly.

"Now, what should I do to you?" she mock threatened, and hissed with a smirk. "Venus Lucem."

The hand that wasn't holding the whip glowed a fierce golden, and the man shrieked, terrorized. Lucy wanted to laugh, but she held her tongue.

"I got the rest of them," the brunette's voice suddenly echoed. Lucy turned to her, still holding the whip securely around the whining man. The short girl snorted at the scene.

With a mischievous grin, she tossed the remaining men into a pile, eyeing the only conscious one with crossed arms.

"Tell me one good reason to not take you to the capital guards," she taunted.

"You will not get away with this!" he spat, suddenly less terrified. "When my boss hears about this—"

"I dealed with your boss _loong _before I started chasing you guys down," she interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "You and your little pals here were the only ones left of your little gang."

Upon that new information, the man looked menaced again.

"P—Please, have mercy on me! I—It wasn't my idea, I had nothing to do with that robbery!" he squeaked. Lucy saw the brunette roll her eyes.

"Typical. Gangs are like that around here, no protection of their _comrades_," she spat, and with a glowing green hand, she slapped the man so had that he joined his unconscious companions.

"Wow. Even in the capital there's gangs and thugs," Lucy muttered. She eyed the amount of knocked out men.

"You have no freakin' idea," she replied, sighing. The blonde watched as she slipped out of her jacket, and gasped upon her right wrist.

Tinted peridot green, almost like her eyes, was the fantastic tattoo of a swirling dragon imprinted onto the pale skin. Lucy narrowed her eyes, and before she could stop herself, she grasped the brunette's wrist with her right hand. Comparing her markless hand to the marked wrist was somewhat painful.

"You… this mark?" she inquired. The girl blinked.

"This mark?" she repeated, and smiled. "This the mark of my guild."

Lucy parted her lips, before her legs bucked and her world turned black.

* * *

**So, what'd you think of the new girl? Do you trust her? Hate her? Oh well, like it or not, she's gonna play a big part. Gihi.**

**Also, I know Asclepius was a god, not a goddess. You'll see why though.**

**REVIEW. Or I'll steal a fish from Happy and tell him it was you.**


	7. Dragon Claw

**So many people afraid of Lucy entering a new guild. Don't fret—or fret, I'm a writer, not a police officer. But you'll see what happens.**

* * *

"Lucy… Lucy!"

The blonde's eyes quivered, unveiling the surroudings through a blur. The first thing she finally put together was a pair of emerald green eyes and a spiky ginger mop of hair, as she struggled to sit up. A groan left her throat. She was extremely sore.

"You okay?" Loke asked, worriedly. She nodded, though the gesture brought a wave of pain to her head, and she grimaced.

"What happened?" she mumbled, rubbing her temples.

"You passed out," the brunette said, "so I brought you to my guild."

Lucy blinked. Her guild? She was in a guild?

"Welcome to Dragon Claw," she declared, grinning excitedly. "I'm Maya, by the way. Maya Everhart."

"Lucy Heartfilia. Dragon Claw?"

Maya nodded, and leaned forward slightly, showing her the green swirling dragon in her right wrist.

"We're a guild that is situated deep in the Forest Groove. We've been here for nearly twelve years and practically no one but the King and a few from the capital know we exist."

"You don't like to stand out?" Lucy inquired.

"You could say that," Maya agreed, shrugging with a smile. "I've been here for nearly eight years. Now, changing the subject, what kind of magic was that?"

"Huh?" Lucy made, confused. Maya grinned.

"You used two types of magic. I think… light and wind. How can you have two types of magic?"

Lucy opened her mouth, the words dying in her throat. It would be pretty difficult to explain what she had been up to. She smiled slightly.

"It's a long story," she trailed, and turned to Loke with squinted eyes. "Why did I pass out? I wasn't tired at all."

Loke frowned his lips.

"Remember how I always told you how dangerous the grand spells are? Well, this is one of the aftereffects," he explained. "Before Maya here interrupted your bonding with Fire, your magic levels were at extreme ranges, due to Aestus Mercurius being one of the strongest spells to master. And when she stopped the ritual, your magic radically went down, thus making you lose your senses."

"But I was fine when I chased those thugs!"

"Because you used magic almost immediately after the spell was interrupted. Your body only reacted when the presence of your magic was completely faded into its vessel within you. But this is just a theory of mine, it could be something else."

Lucy leaned back on the bed she sat on, a little speechless. She _was _warned of the consequences. She just didn't think about them while training. That clearly had to change.

"I'm gonna assume that this is sorta my fault so… I'm sorry," Maya said, grimacing slightly. Lucy smiled, shaking her head.

"It's alright, Maya. You didn't know." She then grinned gently. "Thanks for bringing me here."

Maya grinned, and unabashedly sprang forward to hug her. Lucy squeaked in surprise, but then giggled, hugging her just as tightly. It felt nice.

"What about you?" she asked, as Maya stepped back. "I saw your hand glow green when you punched that guy."

Maya grinned, raising her right fist. It began glowing a bright green, engulfing her small knuckles.

"I'm an Earth, or Earthland, Dragon Slayer."

Lucy stared at her, mouth slightly parted and eyes blinking in confusion as the information seeped into her brain. Then, slowly, her eyes widened into the size of balloons, shock and wonder written all over her face.

"Seriously?! Sweet Mavis, I swear I've never heard of such magic!"

Maya laughed, placing her fist in her lap while the green faded away.

"Of course you haven't. There's a lot of Dragon Slaying magic that people don't know about."

"I know some Dragon Slayers from my guild," Lucy blurted, and immediately regretted it.

"Really?" Maya inquired, curious. The blonde nodded, hesitantly.

"They're… um, Fire, Iron and Sky Dragon Slayers. There's also a Thunder Dragon Slayer, but he's second generation."

"What guild?"

Lucy stiffened, hugging herself. By the sad and hurt look in her chocolate eyes, Maya understood that something related to that guild had happened. Something bad.

"… Would you listen to me if I told you about the drama in my life?"

Maya blinked, and nodded.

And then she told her. It was painful to say it a second time, but she somehow trusted Maya. The small Dragon Slayer was tuned to her every word, hearing her out on how she loved Natsu, how he showed her the world and how he tore it to pieces, regardless of her feelings. Maya had held a stern, yet gentle face upon the story telling, not commenting on how Lucy had to stop for a few times to wipe her nose and dry her tears.

Now, both girls stood in silence and Loke had placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, hugging her lightly. Maya straightened her back, and Lucy watched as she seemingly processed the information in her head.

"I thought I would like to meet these guys," she suddenly said, in a bitter tone. "I guess I was wrong."

Lucy didn't answer, sniffling. Maya's serious look began fading into a kind half smile, and took the blonde's hand in her own with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Join us, then!"

"… What?"

"Join Dragon Claw!" Maya exclaimed, grinning. "You'll love it, I promise you that!"

"Join… another guild?" Lucy glanced at Loke, who was smiling widely at her. Apparently he thought it to be a good idea. Well, it had to be temporary, right?

"I…"

"Sheesh, what's with the yelling?" a male voice echoed. "Seriously, Maya, if you ever do a speech, you won't need a loudspeaker."

Lucy drifted her attention from Maya to the doorstep. Casually leaning against the wall stood a tall young man, with dark indigo hair that reached his chin, crystalline blue eyes and a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips. He wore a black leather jacket over a dark turquoise shirt, a pair of gray, stylishly shredded jeans and simple dark sneakers. The same dragon on Maya's wrist, the Dragon Claw mark, was printed on the left side of his neck in a bright blue, partially hidden by the collar of his jacket.

"You okay?" he inquired, directed at Lucy. She nodded. "Good. Imagine the guild's reaction when Maya burst through the front doors, carrying an unconscious girl."

"Sorry if I caused a commotion," Lucy said, smiling apologetically. He shook his head, smiling.

"No biggie. I'm Ivory, Ivory Silver. Everyone calls me Ivy, though, you're welcome to do the same," he said, and stretched his hand for her to shake it. Lucy did so, smiling.

"Lucy Heartfilia."

Ivy did the same with Loke, who gave him a firm handshake.

"I'm Leo, the Lion, Lucy's celestial spirit."

Ivy nodded, quite impressed. "Celestial magic, huh?"

"He's got a girl's name," Maya blurted, snickering. Ivy rolled his eyes.

"Let's ignore this poor version of Deliora here," he said, pointing his thumb at the brunette. Maya gave him a death glare.

"Says the Loch Ness Monster's hideous descendant," she taunted back. Lucy eyed the pair in amusement, glancing at Loke, who was fighting to not chuckle.

"Ahem… so, Ivy, what's your type of magic?" the blonde inquired, to break the tension. He seemed to lighten up at the question, and smirked.

Lucy watched in awe as he flicked his index finger towards the water mug in her hands, and gasped when the liquid came pouring—_up_. It swirled around the room in the form of moldy spheres, before he had the water go into his mouth. It glowed bright blue as he drank it.

"I'm a Water Dragon Slayer," he said. Lucy was quite surprised.

"Are all of Dragon Claw's mages Dragon Slayers?"

"That'd be super awesome, but no," Maya replied. "We've got one Ice-Make mage, one Time Ark, one Embodiment, two Animal Souls and two Requip as our S-Rank mages."

Lucy raised her brow, impressed. They could even be just as powerful as Fairy Tail. Perhaps even more so.

"Are you two included?" she questioned. Maya pouted cutely.

"Only Ivy. He's really powerful, you know," she said, grinning almost proudly. "I bet he'd take that Natsu down in a millisecond."

To their surprise, Lucy burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, but that would be fun to watch. I mean… you don't know Natsu."

Ivy smirked. "And you don't know me."

"… Good point," she muttered. He chuckled and Maya smirked.

"Who's this Natsu fellow?" he asked, eyebrow up.

"A… friend, of mine," she said, noting Maya's knowing look. "He's a Fire Dragon Slayer."

"_Sweet_, Natsu Dragneel," Ivy said, grinning dangerously. "Now I really want to fight him."

"Please do," Maya said, a little too loudly. Ivy frowned as Lucy stiffened, and for the sake of her new friend, the brunette sighed. "Let's just say… he did something bad to Luce over here and I totally hate him."

Lucy felt surprise and unexpected joy when Maya nicknamed her. Natsu used to call her that as well, she should have felt a pang in her heart. However, with a smile, she decided she liked Maya calling her 'Luce'.

"Another reason to fight him," Ivy proclaimed, suddenly sounding more serious.

"Hey… he's not… worth my time," Lucy muttered, though the words were painful. However, Maya smirked.

"Of course not."

"Anywho," Ivy said, "me and Maya are partners and best buddies here, and some of the few who have been in the guild for many years. I think we're the best choice to show you around."

"And you can tell him the story, Luce," Maya said. "You can trust him."

"What story?"

Lucy bit her lip, fiddling with her fingers in her lap. At Ivy's inquisitive stare however, she sighed.

"The story of why I left my guild and what bad things Natsu did to me."

Ivy twitched his lips, crossing his arms.

"Tell you what, you can tell me that story at dinner tonight, with the two of us," he suggested, smirking. Maya grinned.

"Yeah! What do you think, Luce?"

Lucy blinked at the kind offer, and then smiled so widely that if she put on a clown make-up, she'd definitely be mistaken for the Joker. Or at least, she funnily thought so.

"That sounds great!" she said, but then creased her brow. "What about the rest of the guild? Wasn't I supposed to meet your friends?"

Maya was about to reply, before a loud growling noise rang from Lucy's stomach, beneath the sheets. Blushing pink, she covered her lower abdomen with her arms, while Loke, Ivy and Maya laughed loudly.

"Right now, I think food is our number one priority," Ivy teased, which made her pout.

"I couldn't agree more," Loke said, getting up from the bed and taking Lucy in the process. "Right now, you need some food, and some rest."

Lucy smiled up at him.

"Thanks Loke."

The Leo smiled, nodding, before disappearing. Maya turned to Lucy, grinning.

"Okay, who's up for pizza?"

* * *

"Holy shit, I can't believe he actually did that!"

Lucy was desperately trying to eat her french fries through her breathless fit of laughter, but was failing miserably. Maya held a similar reaction, while Ivy stared at the blonde with a half amused, half incredulous grin.

"Yeah, he did! And then he blew up three buildings!" Lucy kept saying. Maya clutched her stomach.

"I can't wait to meet this guy, he sounds hilarious!"

"Your days definitely get brighter with him around, that's for sure," Lucy said, grinning as she wiped away the tears from laughing so badly.

They had chosen a local place, Heather's Pizzeria, which—according to Maya—served the best pizza around Fiore. When Lucy took a bite of her bacon and cheese slice, she couldn't agree more. Maya decided it was a good oportunity to get to know each other, and no one disagreed. Ivy was the first one up. He was practically a year older than Lucy, nineteen to be precise, and had been in Dragon Claw for as long as Maya. His foster father, Aquolium the Water dragon, had left the same day as Natsu and the others' dragons, leaving him all by himself before he found Maya. They both travelled ever since kids, eventually finding Dragon Claw and joining them. Ivy's favourite food was sushi, his hobbies involved practicing with Maya, swimming—ironically—he disliked roasted nuts and absolutely hated chilli pepper.

She eventually explained it all to Ivy, after his request to do so. His reaction was pretty much the same as Maya's, and Lucy didn't cry this time. For some reason, she felt like she could trust these two with her life, even barely knowing them. They gave off that aura, an aura of trust, loyalty and protection.

Then, Maya. She was two years younger than Lucy, sixteen, and her foster mother was Herbalie, the Earth dragon. She loved painting, reading horror novels and climbing mountains, disliked rice and hated yams. Maya also liked to write, much to Lucy's delight and surprise. Being an artist and reader didn't seem to be the first hobbies that came up to someone's mind when looking at Maya.

"Seriously, I've never seen someone so reckless, and I know this little spitfire over here!" Ivy said, gesturing towards Maya. The brunette glared at him.

"So funny I forgot to laugh!" she mocked, rolling her eyes. Lucy giggled.

"Lucy," Ivy called, Maya's comment thoroughly ignored, "it's your turn."

The blonde stopped, a fry just inches away from her open mouth.

"My turn?" she repeated. Maya grinned.

"We told you stuff about us, now it's time you tell us stuff about you."

Lucy blinked, and smiled, after shoving the fry into her mouth.

"Okay. Where to start… my name is Lucy Heartfilia and I'm turning eighteen in July."

"Eighteen?! _Holy motherfu_… you're two years older than me," she pouted. Ivy snickered.

"You're the baby of the gang, you're the baby of the gang," he sang. Lucy snorted, quite unladylikely.

"Meh," she said, smirking. "It's not that bad, at least she can get me booze."

Lucy burst out laughing.

"What if I don't get you booze?"

"Then… then!" she trailed, and mock sniffled with a cute pout, "I cry…"

Lucy sputtered, and Ivy showed a displeased face.

"Hey, what about me? I sneak out booze for you all the time," he reminded, frowning. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but you're a _guy_, she's a _girl,_" she said, talking as if she was explaining it all to a dumb five year old. "Lucy being a girl makes her automatically know what I want, since you always bring tasteless and cheap beer, you twat."

"Cheater," Lucy teased, smirking.

"It's booze. You never specify!" he insisted, scowling. Maya smirked.

"Keep going, Luce."

"I've already told you the story of my life, so, my hobbies include reading, writing, previously shopping and now I have the habit of training everyday to become stronger, as you already know. My favourite food is yogurt, I dislike fish and I really hate dried plums. Much like Wendy."

"You don't like fish and this Happy cat was always offering it to you," Ivy deadpanned. Lucy smiled, nodding.

"He's a cat. What else to expect?"

"We forgot to mention it, but we also have Exceeds too," Maya cut in. "Mine is Tullip and Ivy's is Jack. You might just see them, now that you're going to hang out with us."

_Now that you're going to hang out with us._

Lucy pondered on that fact. She was indeed making new friends and getting over her grief. Her plan was going well, and so much better than what she had pictured before she left Magnolia. She was glad to have two friends like Maya and Ivy.

"Speaking of hanging out…" Ivy started, "what's your decision?"

"Decision?"

"About Dragon Claw. Are you… going to join us?"

Lucy frowned. A new guild. New friends. New powers. A new life. Would she ever see Natsu again? She hoped so. But the letter she left behind said otherwise… and yet she couldn't be happy if she didn't move on.

"You know, that is a very good idea. But, this is," she paused, inhaling, "going a bit fast. But I'll definitely think about it."

"Fair enough," Maya said, and mock pouted. "But I'm still expecting a yes."

Lucy smiled.

* * *

**DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Besides, admit it. It would be cool. But I'm getting ahead of myself, gihihihi.**

**Also, it's true, Lucy's favorite food is indeed yogurt. For some reason. Mashima, you have weird tastes. But you're still awesome, bro.**

**REVIEW. I'll give you a brownie! If you don't I kill you.**


	8. Unexpected Visitors

**If I don't update tomorrow or until this weekend, don't blame me. I've got a lot going on these days.**

* * *

"Keep that rhythm up, Lucy, very good!"

The blonde growled as Virgo started digging holes in the ground, but she was fast and positively chirpy today. As the amount of digging was near her feet, she jumped in the air as high as she could.

"Urano Caeli! Fly Diversion: Enchant!" she casted, and the winds obeyed their new mistress, raising her elegantly in the air. Virgo came out of the hole she had just digged, eyeing her mistress with what seemed a hint of admiration.

Lucy smiled down at her, and spread her arms, calling forth the Wind once more. It blew on her tied hair and made her black shirt cling to her sweaty back, eventually earning such force that had Virgo and Loke tumbling to the ground. Lucy remained up in the air, feeling twirls of air around her as leverage.

"I'm getting scared, Lucy," Loke called over the strong wind, grinning. "The student has become the master!"

"What did you expect?!" Lucy mocked, unveiling her whip with a dandy smirk. Loke gulped. Whenever she brought out her _fleuve d'étoiles_, he knew she was getting serious.

Just like he presumed, she cracked the whip in the air with a battle cry, flying down at the speed of lightning, in Loke's direction. He positioned himself in a fighting stance, grunting when her whip wrapped around his left arm.

"Come on, Loke!" she teased, and threw him to the other side of the clearing. "Is that all you've got?!"

As if to answer her question, Virgo launched at her mistress, and both engaged in a hand-to-hand combat. Virgo was less smooth than Loke, which only contributted to Lucy's triumph over their duel. With a hiss, Virgo was thrown to the ground, and Lucy moved to attack Loke.

"It doesn't help when you've got a fuckin' whip!" Loke cursed, causing Lucy to momentarily stop to blow up in laughter. He grinned. "Heads up!"

"Oh!" she cried out, when he managed to pin her to the ground and throw her whip away from her range. "You bastard, no fair!"

"All is fair in the war of love," he winked. Lucy grimaced, scowling at him.

"Heads _down._"

"_Ouch_!"

Loke let Lucy slip out of his grasp after she roughly kicked him in the groin, scrambling to pick up her trusted whip. She had a grin in her face that made Loke groan.

"Why are you always kicking me in the crotch?!"

"Because you're a guy. I'm a girl, so hitting _that _doesn't necessarily make it a low blow. Well… _low blow,_" she snorted. Loke glared at her.

"So _funny._"

"I know."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know, too."

"Okay, now you're being annoying."

"I know."

Loke sighed, and smirked, "That's not going to work."

"What's not going to work?" she asked, voice tone implying fake innocence. He snickered.

"You're angering me on purpose, to make me come at you with everything I've got."

Lucy stood silent for a few seconds, and then glared at him.

"Screw you."

"With pleasure."

She wailed, grasping her hair sharply. Loke only laughed.

"Looks like your plan backfired. You're the one getting angered."

Lucy's eye twitched, and avoiding the rude comment, she charged at him with her whip taut in her hands. Loke gasped, jumping away when the tip cracked next to his feet. Lucy soon enough was on him again, pinning him down with a smirk.

"And now you're the one losing," she stated. Loke raised an eyebrow, peeved.

"Ha, ha."

"Quit laughing, I'm trying to be cool here," Lucy said, glaring at him. Loke eyed her with narrowed, dull eyes.

"Ha, ha, _ha_."

Even the birds stopped on their tracks at the loud echo of Lucy's slap. All they saw was the blonde getting up from the ground with a satisfied smile, and a very grim and pained looking Loke following, rubbing a burning red cheek.

"Ow, ow, ow…" he mocked in annoyance. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"Also a punishment for seducing me and forgetting Aries."

Loke sighed exasperatedly, yet he was grinning.

"Why is it that you punish Onii-chan and not me, princess?" Virgo questioned from afar, in her usual monotone voice. Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not going to punish you, Virgo…"

"Wow, you really are overprotective of your spirits. Except for me, apparently. You don't seem to mind tearing my cheek into a poor excuse of flesh," Loke said, in a fake amazed voice.

"Shut up and fight me."

He sputtered.

"Hey, hey!" he warned, smirking, "Going 'Natsu'?"

"No way!" she protested, cheeks fuming red and eyes glaring knives into his soul. "There's no comparison, for Mavis's sake!"

"Alright."

Lucy cried out when he had her kneeling to the ground, her arms tied to her back by his harsh and yet smooth hands. Her bare knees felt the harsh texture of grass.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged behind her.

"You told me to fight you, or did you not?"

With that, he twirled her around in his arms, and they began Lucy's second hand-to-hand combat. Her breathing was replaced by panting, her muscles were pained—though she ignored it as usual—and her body was soaked in odoriferous fluids. She needed a bath, but she wanted to keep training. It made her feel stronger. Indeed, these training habits she began were working its magic on her. Lucy had noticed a few days ago, that after three months of exercise, she had lost nearly nine pounds. Also, her arms and legs began forming the slightest lumps of muscle. It wasn't very noticeable, making her look so much more elegant and beautiful than before.

Loke's hand collided with her head, provoking a hiss from her. To retaliate, Lucy pulled out a move she had been considering lately—three steps back, a tall jump, a quick spin in the air after she kicked with both her legs, and a landing with spread legs and arms bent on the ground. He rubbed his left shoulder, visibly impressed with her approach.

"Luce, you really are awesome."

Lucy blinked at the new voice, standing with a ragged breath. Sitting next to Virgo with a wide grin and a bag of grocery shopping, was Maya. And, on top of her head, a ginger striped Exceed with eyes just as green as Maya's, a small maroon colored dress cladding her small body. Her tail swung back and forth in a lazy fashion, and her eyes showed mild interest. Tullip, according to Maya.

Lucy let her lips stretch in a grin as well, waving after a huff. The brunette waved back, and jumped to her feet, Nadia following suit.

"Holy Anna, you use a lot of different magic _and _you are an expert at melee combat. I could learn some stuff from you, Luce," she complimented, grinning at Loke as acknowledgement. He smiled.

"Not exactly an expert, period," Lucy corrected, smiling. "I've only started training three months ago."

"Still, you're very good. Maybe just as good as Ivy."

"Quick question, holy Anna?" Lucy repeated, curious. Maya smirked.

"Anna Fitzherbert, the founder of Dragon Claw," she said. "Who was the founder of Fairy Tail?"

"Mavis Vermillion."

"Huh, I know her," she said, suddenly impressed. "She's super smart and her calculation never fails."

"Yeah, but she's sort of dead," Lucy blurted, clearing her throat, and smiled. "Hello, Tullip."

The ginger Exceed smiled, nodding. "I finally get to meet you, Lucy. Maya talks a lot about you."

"Does she now?" Lucy teased, raising an eyebrow with a grin. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Anywho… you definitely are strong."

"Thank you, but I think 'stronger than Ivy' is a bit off," she said, smiling. "Considering I haven't truly seen Ivy's magic."

Maya grinned, and shrugged.

"He's super powerful, just like you seem to be. There's only one way of finding out how far you can go, though," she said, smirking slyly. Tullip's eyes went wide.

"Which is?"

"I'll leave the splash zone now," Tullip muttered. Her wings, alike to Happy's and the other Exceeds Lucy had met, burst from her back, and she quickly flew away to where Virgo was. Lucy creased her brow suspiciously at the panicky face she had when leaving.

Maya grinned, and the next thing Lucy knew was that she had a midget brunette charging at her with a glowing green hand. The blonde gasped in surprise when she pinned her to the ground, and smirked back at her.

"We fight, of course," Maya stated, fist inches away from Lucy's face. _Now _she understood why Tullip wanted to leave.

"You're on," she declared, eyes glinting. "Urano Caeli: Whirlwind Fist!"

Lucy erupted her fist in the loyal winds of Aeolus, knocking Maya quite far in the field. The brunette panted while getting up from the green ground. Her gray top was already torn and dirtied at some spots by the attack, her flared skirt ripped at the side, ruining the blue polka dot pattern. She grinned, cracking her knuckles.

"Seismic Fist of the Earth Dragon!" she yelled, and punched the ground with all her might.

Lucy knitted her eyebrows, but upon the wide gaps forming on the ground and the unexplicable earthquake, she gasped, and jumped as high as she could.

"Urano Caeli!" she chanted, and spread her arms. "Fly Diversion: Enchant!"

The air lifted her up from the cracked and trembling ground, isolating her from the danger. Loke, Virgo and Tullip however, were not in an advantage. Lucy caught them struggling to keep steady on the dangerous earthquake, and waved her hand in their direction, thought Tullip just flew up with her wings.

"Enchant!" she called, and both her spirits were supported by the cold arms of the Wind, clothes and hairs oscillating lightly.

"Thanks, Lucy," Loke said.

Tullip sighed, crossing her arms. "You always go overboard, Maya…"

Maya removed her fist from the ground, consequently stopping the earthquake. She pouted at Lucy's resolve. Lucy smiled, and propped her knuckles just as she had a few seconds ago.

"Strength of the Thornado! Fly: Speed Boost!"

The Celestial mage threw herself at Maya, pouncing on her with her fists engulfed in miniature hurricanes. Maya managed to slide away from her, jumping from an edge to another. Now, an ample crack stood between them. The Earth mage grinned at Lucy's scowl.

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!"

Maya arched her back for leverage, and with a deep intake of breath, shot a whirlwind of vivid green at Lucy. She flinched. It looked it could damage _a lot._ When it neared her enough, she casted Urano Caeli once again, with all the power she could muster.

"Urano Caeli! Vortex: Absorbent!"

Growling, Lucy felt the force of Maya's attack being withdrawn by the Wind, but it was so strong that her feet dug more cracks into the ground, marking her steps. The Roar was so vigorous that the elastic band in her hair flew away, allowing the gold locks to float free in the violent shudders of their magic collision. Eventually, Lucy had managed to nullify Maya's attack, but was left panting heavily, with the lightest bruises on her cheeks and exposed skin. As the smoke from their magic's collision faded, Lucy saw Maya with wide emerald eyes and her jaw threatning to fall to the ground.

"No one," she started, in a breathless, astounded tone, "has ever managed to stop my Roar."

Lucy felt flattered, but she was still exhausted. Exhaling with a shudder, she fell to her knees, gripping the ground as the world spun around her. Maya immediately managed to turn the forest back to normal, the gaps regenerating into land as she hopped through all of them, to get to Lucy. Loke and Virgo also had felt her spell go inane around them, and they landed on the ground with the sole intent of checking on their mistress, Tullip not far behind.

"You okay, Luce?" Maya inquired, kneeling over her. Lucy nodded, and straightened herself on the lawn with a hand to her forehead.

"Here," Loke said, and handed her a bottle of water. Lucy popped the lid open, and drank a lavishing amount of water, leaving the contents just below the half mark.

"I'm good," she reassured, huffing as she stood up. "It's just that the spell took a lot of my strength."

"Even though you borrow the magic from the gods above, it still draws power from you, Princess," Virgo reminded. "You haven't _fully _mastered the Wind. Perhaps this was part of the few steps you had left to do so."

"Well, holy shit."

The five perked up at the gruff voice coming from the trees, and as the figure stepped into view, Lucy gasped in shock. His long and bristly black hair, bulky figure and studded face were way too recognizable. The Exceed too wasn't easy to mistake.

Gajeel and Lily.

He didn't hold that usual grouchy mood, but a pair of wide red eyes and a stunned reaction. He might as well had been watching the whole fight unfurl. Lucy couldn't even speak, and Loke was quite worried to see him. Maya however, noticed the fear in Lucy's eyes and the shock emanating from Loke, and glared at him.

"I don't know who you are or how you found this forest, but you won't hurt Lucy."

Before Gajeel could even respond, Maya was charging at him.

"Maya, don't!" Lucy and Tullip yelled, the blonde's voice replaced by a hoarse tone. It was too late.

"Wing Slash of the Earth Dragon!"

Gajeel was a bit taken aback, before he grinned, thrilled.

"I don't know who you are either, but damn midget, you've got spank," he said, and launched forward. "Club of the Iron Dragon!"

Maya groaned when the long hard club hit her stomach, but after a boost of confidence, she jumped over the metal, using her hands as support. Gajeel raised his brow when she started running steadily on his club, cracking her knuckles.

"Do not," she growled, green eyes glowing with power and slithering typically like a Dragon Slayer during a battle, "call me _midget._"

She held her fist in the air, guild mark evident to Gajeel's eyes. The shock only lasted for a split second.

"Impact of the Earth Dragon!"

He grunted when her small fist made contact with his jaw, striking him off with an incredible force, enough to make him fly against a tree. He spat to his left, cracking his knuckles and readying himself to dash forward, towards her. He was about to follow his plan as the short girl erupted in green, glaring at him, if it weren't for Lucy standing in the middle of the battlefield.

Both Slayers froze abruptly on the spot, Maya hyperventilating and Gajeel tch'ing.

"Stop it!" she commanded, and glanced at the emerald eyed mage over her shoulder. "Maya, he's not an enemy."

"But, you looked scared!" she retorted. Lucy shook her head.

"I was shocked to find him here," she explained, and then turned to Gajeel, who had gotten up. "Speaking of whom, what _are _you doing here, Gajeel?"

"On a mission with Lily and that's all you need to know," he said, gruffily. "What are _you _doing here, bunny girl?"

Lucy froze in her spot, her hands fistening as her jaw went stiff. Her voice was raspy and was hinted with fury and sadness at the same time when she answered.

"I went through with my plan."

While Gajeel raised his brow in what seemed curiosity and a slimmer of admiration, Maya frowned at Loke.

"Her plan?" she asked. He pursed his lips.

"Gajeel was one of the few to didn't ignore her, and also the first one she told she was thinking of leaving to become stronger," he explained. "That's probably the plan she's talking about."

"Good for you, bunny girl," Gajeel said, but then crossed his arms, "But I've got bad news for ya."

"Bad news?" she questioned, with a frown. He nodded.

"Natsu and the rest know you're gone."

Lucy felt such a dawning surge of panic she had never felt before, upon hearing those words. She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. She didn't even know if that was supposed to be good, or bad. She then looked back at him, cocoa eyes narrowed.

"And?" she breathed. "How did they react?"

Gajeel parted his lips, ready to tell her she should just grow a pair and go back to Fairy Tail because the brat missed her greatly. But knowing of Natsu's selfishness, Lucy's months of pain and the guild's ignorance, he reckoned this plan of hers would only help her if she was left in the dark.

"Natsu's fucking glad you're gone," he spat, avoiding her eyes. "The guild said, and I'll quote: it's a relief to have that nuisance away from us."

Maya's eyes went wide as her fists tightened, Loke glared at Gajeel in disbelief, and Lucy… Lucy didn't waver. She stood on her feet in pride, knuckles so white from the nail digging in her palms. Only Gajeel saw her tears pouring down her cheeks, her teeth gritting in frustration and body trembling with withheld sobs.

"Is that so?" she hiccuped, but she sounded firm. "Well, me too."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, gulping ever so slightly. He was the reason of those tears, but he was in no way going to show any sort of empathy. It wasn't his style. Besides, it was for her own good. Lily only glanced at him, then at Tullip—who was glaring at him for some reason—and then back at him. He was clearly bewildered.

"You've got a mission to finish," she reminded. Gajeel raised his chin, and nodded.

"Good luck, Bunny Girl," he said, and then grinned. "You're on the right track. Gihi."

He turned, Lily hopping on his shoulder, and both disappeared into the forest. The moment they were gone, Lucy fell to her knees, and Maya, Tullip and her spirits were suddenly around the hiccupping girl.

"Lucy…" Loke said. His tone was specked with anger and worry.

"Luce," Maya embraced her, allowing the blonde to cry on the crook of her neck.

"I shouldn't be crying, I shouldn't be crying," she chanted through her sobs, but the tears rolling down her flushed cheeks betrayed her words.

"I could murder them right now," Loke muttered at Virgo. The pinkette frowned, looking down with a hint of sadness.

Lucy spent what seemed hours crying in Maya's arms, gripping her denim jacket and shaking wildly. After that long period of tears, she sniffled, withdrawing from the brunette's arms, who was staring at her with care and worry. Lucy made up her mind right then and there.

"You know what, Maya?" she said, voice broken. "Take me to Dragon Claw."

* * *

**The HORROR. Well, not a horror to me. But a horror to Natsu and you guys. Don't worry, if you liked Maya and Ivy so far, you'll love Dragon Claw. Even though I agree that Lucy belongs with Fairy Tail. But you'll have to see what happens.**

**Tell me what you think of the ultimate events in a REVIEW. Or I'll kill Lucy. I can do that – trust me, I can be worse than George R. R. Martin.**


	9. New Comrades

**Oof, I managed an upload. I warned you, I've been having quite the busy schedule, and it will continue from day 8 to 24 of this month. Don't worry, I'll still keep writing.**

* * *

The moment Lucy stepped a foot inside the cottage of Dragon Claw, she knew, for some reason, that she'd love being there. Temporary or not, she just knew she'd be safe there. Maya and Ivy were trustworthy friends, even if she had only met them recently, and all of the faces she was greeted with were not unfriendly or hostile. Like another Fairy Tail, but less boisterous.

The cottage was large, not like Fairy Tail, since this was a reclusive guild that never liked to stand out. The main colors of the walls, stools, tables and everything were shades of brown, giving off a very welcoming and warm first look. All different people she saw never held sadness in their faces.

With a smile and dry eyes, the blonde followed an ecstatic Maya over to the bar, where Ivy stood, around a few more chatting mages. Tullip flew over their heads with a smile, landing next to another Exceed with gray fur and with the same striped pattern as hers, but it seemed to be male by the sharp green eyes and little blue tie. Jack. He seemed to strike off as intelectual and his thin glasses only proved that theory. Next to Ivy and talking with said Water mage avidly, was a boy around Lucy's age, with sleek brown hair and eyes bluer than Ivy's. He wore a dark blue vest over a white turtle neck, along with common jeans and simple dark sneakers. He seemed to be calm, yet friendly.

"Welcome to Dragon Claw!" Maya said, twirling in her feet with a grin. "Again."

Both guys spun their heads at Maya's words, and Ivy immediately smirked upon seeing Lucy.

"Finally decided to join us, eh?" he said, propping himself from the stool. The brunet beside him mimicked the gesture, smiling widely at Lucy.

"I'm Sam, Sam Shilga," he said, and grinned. "I have the feeling I've seen you before."

Lucy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"Huh, probably from Sorcerer's Weekly magazine…" she muttered, but before anyone could answer, she spoke up. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia. This seems to be a nice guild!"

"It sure is!" Tullip agreed, landing on Lucy's head with a grin. The Exceed trusted her already, and it made Lucy feel proud. A smile went up her lips.

"I'm gonna go get Master Danny for you to talk about joining us," Maya cut in, and disappeared behind a nearby door. Probably the Master's office.

"What kind of mage are you, Lucy-chan?" Sam inquired. Lucy was a bit taken aback by the sudden honorific, but decided she paid it no mind.

"I'm a Celestial mage, both Holder and Caster."

He raised an eyebrow at this, eyeing Ivy. The Water mage simply grinned.

"I didn't know there was more than one type."

"Well, me neither, until three months ago," she said, shrugging. "It's pretty impressive."

"I believe you," he said, winking. Lucy rolled her eyes playfully, grinning, and Ivy did the same.

"To answer your implied question: I don't like playboys," she informed, and crossed her arms with a pinkish blush on her cheeks. "And I'm sort of taken."

She said the latter so lowly that it was barely audible over the loud voices in the guild, but Sam heard it nonetheless. He raised his brow, smirking.

"_Sort _of taken?"

"Long story," she said, curtly. Sam got the message, nodding.

"Anywho, you okay, Lucy?" Ivy questioned, frowning. "You seem less happy than the last time I saw you."

The blonde cringed at his observation, fiddling with her side braid quietly. She had made a quick stop by her apartment to shower and change from her messy training clothes, and now wore a pair of tight jeans and a striped, black and beige shirt along with her jacket and boots.

"I ran into a comrade of mine from Fairy Tail," she said. Sam looked surprised.

"You were a Fairy Tail mage? Holy cow, that's impressive."

"Her best friend is from there and is well known too," Ivy added, smirking. Lucy pouted at him, blushing scarlet.

"Who?" Sam asked. She bit her lip.

"… Natsu Dragneel."

"Holy Anna!" he exclaimed, with wide blue eyes. "That guy is one heck of a Dragon Slayer, I tells ya."

Lucy chortled at Sam's temporary lack of class in his manner of speech, deciding she enjoyed this side of him more.

"What about you, Sam, what magic do you use?" she asked.

"I'm a Snow mage," he said, and smiled. "But I'm nothing compared to my sister."

"Your sister?"

At her question, the thin doors of the lively cottage spread open, and a small blonde girl with an abstracted expression entered, an azure tinted book in her tiny arms. She had sapphire blue eyes that displayed no emotion and her hair was sleek to her hips, brushing over her white hoodie jacket and black flared skirt. Her small feet were carrying a pair of dark blue flats. Sam smiled, gesturing his thumb in the short girl's direction.

"That girl," he said, "Is my sister, Eira. She's an Ice-Make mage and part of the S-Class group."

Lucy felt her jaw go slack. That miniature of a girl was a S-Class mage? She looked barely over fifteen and quite the fragile one.

"She's only fourteen," Ivy said, as if reading her mind. "But she's really powerful."

"That's… kind of hard to believe," she said. Sam nodded.

"Reasonable. But you shouldn't judge people by their covers," he quoted, smiling at her. Lucy nodded with a smile of her own.

"Why, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again, honey."

Lucy blinked, confused at the voice resounding behind the pair of boys, and turned to the bar counter. Smiling kindly at Lucy and cleaning a translucid glass with a white cloth, was that same blonde woman she had poured her heart out to in the first days of her staying in the capital. She grinned, stepping closer to her.

"You work here, Ellia-san?"

"This is my main job," Ellia replied. "I only work at that café to keep my money balanced."

"But to think you work at a guild…" Lucy trailed, and smiled gently. "Thanks again."

The woman shook her head, that smile still there and dense in motherly care.

"Don't thank me, dear. I'm glad I could help."

"You know her?" Ivy asked Lucy. She nodded.

"She was the first one to hear about that whole drama with Natsu and Fairy Tail. I was really emotional that day and she was kind enough to listen to me, I really appreciated it," the blonde glanced at Ellia with a warm smile, which was positively retrieved.

"Speaking of which," Ivy began, frowning. "You said you ran into an old comrade of yours."

Lucy's smile unfortunately evaporated faster than a water droplet in the middle of a hot desert. He was a little sorry for having it happen, but he wanted to hear the story.

"Yeah, Gajeel and his Exceed, Lily," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "They were here on a mission. Not sure if they're already gone from the capital or just starting their mission."

"Gajeel Redfox," Ivy said, crossing his arms. "Was he ever bad to you or something?"

"Well, before he joined Fairy Tail he was a completely different guy. He was involved in a mission of an old guild, Phantom Lord, which was to capture me and retrieve me to my father," Lucy explained. "Sure, he hurt me at the time, but now we're on good terms. He's one of the few who's helped me through being ignored."

"One of the few?"

"There was Master, of course, Laxus, and I must say Wendy and Romeo talked to me. Poor Wendy didn't know what was going on, why the others suddenly didn't aknowledge my existence."

Ivy's lips squirmed, his icy eyes unreadable.

"For your information, during the time of your staying in Dragon Claw, that will never happen to you," he assured, crossing his arms with narrowed eyes. "You'll never be ignored, Lucy."

"All has been said," Sam agreed, smiling gently at the blonde.

She smiled, nodding. Those words felt nice in her ears.

"Thank you."

"You're more than welcome," Ivy said, smirking.

Lucy glanced around the packed cottage, taking in the way it felt slightly clausthrophobic. Why was Dragon Claw so secluded, anyway? Had the guild done something they shouldn't have? Were they hiding from someone?

"Why are you guys hidden so deep in the forest?" she asked, absent mindedly, but then added, "I'm just curious."

"Master Danny refuses to tell us," a female voice spoke, and Lucy saw the little Eira stepping to her brother's side. Her voice was like tinkling bells to Lucy, laced with sugary honey. Her eyes were surprisingly vain, like a doll or a ghost.

"Did something dangerous happen?" Lucy asked. Ivy frowned, blue eyes suddenly serious.

"I'm not sure," he began, in an eerie voice. "But I think something happened between Master Danny and a certain someone, and now he's sort of trying to escape that someone. I don't know any details, but your theory on something dangerous might be true."

"He never told any of us, or spoke of it for that matter," Sam continued. "But I did a bit of a research. I never figured out any names, but turns out that Master got into a fine mess that put this guild's life at stake. I think, by not standing out, he's trying to protect us."

"For how long have you been hiding?"

"Six years," Eira said. She was now sitting on a stool with her tiny nose buried in her book, long blonde hair disguising her like a curtain. It reminded her somewhat of Wendy.

"_That _long?" Lucy said, astonished. "Aren't you all tired of running?"

"To tell the truth, yeah," Ivy confessed, sighing. "We've always wanted to compete in the Grand Magic Games, but Master never allowed us. He's afraid that person might find us."

"What intrigues me is what your Master did," Lucy mumbled, leaning against the counter. "If he reached the point of having to look over his shoulder for his entire life… what could possibly make him so scared?"

"Beats me," Ivy blurted, shrugging. The little blonde next to him squirmed in her seat.

"Maybe he killed someone," Eira deadpanned, in a spooky tone. Both boys and Lucy flinched at the accusation.

"Don't go around saying stuff like that, Eira," Sam chastised, glaring at his sister.

"It might be true."

He rolled his eyes at her dull remark, dropping the subject with a wave of his hand.

"Lucy Heartfilia?"

The blonde turned from the trio of mages, coming face-to-face with an older man. He seemed to be around his thirties, perhaps as old as Gildarts, Lucy assumed, with dishevelled brown hair and solemn emerald green eyes. By the areas his brown cloak didn't cover, she deduced he was strong, and the fierce magic aura he was sending off defined him to be a capable mage. She just wasn't expecting him to be this young. Most guild masters were over fifty years old.

"Yes."

"I'm Master Daniel," he said, and held out his hand for her to shake it. "You may come into my office to discuss your staying."

Lucy nodded, following the man after glancing at Ivy, Sam, Eira and Maya, who had just arrived. She went past the same door Maya had a few minutes ago, entering a small office with a thin wooden bookshelf—filled with books to the brim—an old desk that was barely visible under endless stacks of paper and a window just behind the black chair. She heard Master Daniel faintly closing the door, and they were met with silence.

"You wish to enter our guild?" he inquired, eyeing her. She nodded.

"It's only temporary, though," she added. "To keep my finances stable and until I… until I go back to the guild I truly belong to."

He blinked, simply staring at her with crossed arms and indecipherable eyes, before his lips stretched a smile and his stare lost that severe hint.

"Maya has told me everything," he said, in a less uptight tone. "And you may be part of Dragon Claw for as long as you want. You may call me Master Danny as well."

"Really?" Lucy questioned, chocolate eyes gleaming with excitement. Master Danny nodded.

"You may partake in missions with Ivy and Maya and introduce yourself to others as a mage of this guild, but you mustn't leave the capital."

Lucy frowned at his suddenly invulgar tone. She was about to ask why such demand, but the look in his eyes displayed a mix of fear and yet bravery. Gulping slightly, she nodded.

"I understand why you must feel curious," he said, lowly. "But this guild hides for a reason. Letting you become one of us is already a sacrifice. If it wasn't for Maya's interest in you, I don't think I'd be able to let you in."

Lucy pursed her lips as she took in the information.

"I assume it's something dangerous," she muttered, and studied the packed shelf with narrowed eyes. "But I assure you, Master Danny, that I'm no damsel in distress. Whatever threatens this guild, I will fight it and protect you all."

"You don't have to go that far," he opposed, frowning in worry. Lucy shook her head.

"You have all welcomed me with open arms," she reminded, determination surfacing in her chestnut irises. "This is the least I can do for my new comrades."

Master Danny narrowed his eyes, still seemingly stubborn. Lucy could hear the faint ticking of the clock on the wall, over the silence. It was so tense that Lucy could chop it with a butter knife.

"Very well then," he finally approved. "I'll only let this slide because I believe in Maya's words on how you are a powerful mage. You may go to Ellia to get your mark and make it official."

Lucy nodded once again, smiling slightly at Master as she hurriedly left the office to meet up with the gang at the bar. They immediately brightened up at Lucy's smile, taking it as a good sign.

"He let you in?" Ivy asked, and high-fived the blonde when she nodded merrily. "Yes!"

"Of course he let her in," Maya said, smirking as she casually swung an arm around Lucy's shoulders. "I asked him personally. He could never refuse me, especially when Luce over here is an awesome mage _and _an awesome person."

"Thanks for that, then," Lucy said, grinning at the short brunette. "I'm glad."

"I'd do anything to make you one of us," Maya guaranteed, and both girls bumped fists with bright grins on their faces, amused at their unique display of friendship. "You're one heck of a mage and Dragon Claw is in need of someone like you."

"Huh, I'm flattered," the blonde said, raising an eyebrow with that persistent grin. "But I can be quite the devil when I'm mad. Just warning you."

"I find that hard to believe when we have Maya and Rue," Sam muttered, smirking slightly. Lucy ignored the brawl Maya started with Sam and turned to Ivy.

"Rue?"

"Ruanne Mauvellie. One of our Animal Soul mages," he clarified, and grimaced quite funnily. "You don't wanna mess with her."

_Sounds like Erza or Mira-san, _Lucy thought, amused.

"Tell me more," she requested, smiling. "Who are your S-Class mages?"

"There's Eira Shilga, as you already know," he began listing off, counting with his fingers. "Peter Evans, our Time Arc mage, our Arc of Embodiment is Aiden Reyes, the other Animal Soul is James Carter and the two Requip mages are twins, Sarah and Garret Yale. I haven't seen Sarah in a while, though, I wonder what happened to her."

"Eh, six S-Class mages?! I'm impressed!" Lucy confessed, exhaling sharply with wide eyes. "Fairy Tail only has three S-Class mages. imagine Fiore's reaction if they ever realize Dragon Claw exists."

"Yeah," Ivy agreed, but he was scowling. "If Master Danny ever stops hiding."

"He will," Lucy ensured, smiling in her cheerful manner. "I know he will. Nobody can hide forever."

"Lucy-chan," Ellia called, approaching the pair after setting down a washed plate behind the bar. She carried a dark brown stamp, and Lucy knew very well of its purpose.

"Might it be temporary, but we're going to enjoy having you here, Lucy-chan," Sam assured, smiling widely at the Celestial mage. She retrieved the gesture, before staring at the stamp in hesitation.

"Where do you want the mark, sweetie?" the blonde barmaid asked, smiling.

Lucy bit her lip, pondering on the question. She would never put it in her right hand, her trusty Fairy Tail mark was waiting for her to return, and she wasn't going to spoil its rightful place. But she wanted it somewhere similar, though.

"Um," she mumbled, and then an idea surged. "My left hand?"

That was good. The same, yet the opposite.

"Okay, which color?"

That question had her hesitate even further. She had decided to quit the frilly and the pink, to look mature and to grow up. Pink was definitely out of question. How about blue? No. It would remind her too much of her old outfit. Purple? Purple… she held no objection to that. Lucy was about to request for such color, outstretching her arm, but then she eyed the mark carefully. A swirling spiky tail, a pair of scaly wings and a menacing junction of sharp teeth. A _dragon._

Before she could even think straight, her mouth labelled the words for her as her cheeks went aflame with the color she had chosen.

"Red."

* * *

**Hmn… Master Danny is hiding something. What do you think he did?**

**And Lucy chose **_**red**_**. God Luce, you're such a cutie. You're head over heels for Natsu… and so is he but the son of a unicorn hasn't told her yet.**

**And all of you, loosen up. Yes, Lucy belongs with Natsu and Fairy Tail, but just as she said, it's temporary and to help her keep her finances stable. You know that once, in the anime, Lucy explained that it's hard to get jobs for a solo mage. Joining Dragon Claw is entirely for her benefit.**

**REVIEW. OR I'LL GET MAD. YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ME MAD.**


	10. The Fire in my Heart

**So, tumblr helped me a lot. I saw a lot of theories and I settled on the truest one, so don't panic if you see some stuff changed when you reread this. I know, so **_**amateur **_**like, to change in the middle of the story, but I'm changing the previous chapters too. It'll make more sense, and it's only a few things. Barely noticeable.**

**Also, check out Faux Tales - Atlas. I, as someone who hates when authors tell you about songs, recommend this one. It fits the scene with Lucy and this spell so well that I just had to tell you. Try and listen to it while reading _both _scenes.**

* * *

Lucy sighed when the strong magic she had felt seconds ago began subsiding back into her body. She had been trying to get the hang of Aestus Mercurius again, but such level of power was difficult to achieve. She hated to admit it, but Maya was at fault for her troubles with Fire. Once interrupted, winning back the element's trust was harder than trying to put together a thousand shattered pieces of a femur.

"Again, I am so, so, _so _sorry Luce," Maya mumbled, pouting. Lucy giggled. She was starting to remind her a lot of Natsu.

"It's alright, Maya," she said, shaking her head. "I'll eventually get it's trust back."

"That's going to be hard, period," Loke cut in, averting his eyes. "They're probably frowning at you from…"

He stilled at Lucy's glare and Maya's scowl, covering his interruption with a cough and a nervous laugh. Ivy raised an eyebrow at the scene.

The four were in Lucy's favorite clearing of the Forest Groove, Maya sprawled on the grass and Ivy sitting cross legged as Lucy tried to reign Aestus Mercurius once again. It was rather intriguing to watch her attempt at Fire's trust, but she was unfortunately failing. Had Maya not interrupted the blonde on the previous month of their meeting, she would have Fire in her domain. Ivy could only frown, somewhat sad as Lucy sighed at another failed attempt.

"Lucy," Loke called, in an inquisitive tone, "this just came to my mind, but… what were you thinking of when you mastered those other three spells?"

Lucy blinked, and swiftly switched her legs to sit in the same manner as Ivy's.

"Well, for Sano Terram, I thought about forests, woods, flowers, animals, anything to do with nature," she explained. Loke nodded, but he seemed unconvinced.

"But Sano Terram is mostly about healing injuries and all that," he retorted. "Did you consider that?"

"Of course I did. I also thought of…" Lucy began, and then her chocolate brown eyes widened as she saw his point, "… Wendy."

Loke smiled, and nodded as if for her to go on. Maya had stopped playing with Tullip and focused entirely on Lucy, noting the sudden change of atmosphere.

"For Venus Lucem, I thought of you, Loke," she said, ignoring his smirk. "For Urano Caeli… well, Wendy crossed my mind again."

"Maybe that's why Sano Terram and Urano Caeli are most affilliated to each other," he suggested. "Because you think of one person for both."

"And to master Aestus Mercurius… you must think about the first person that comes to your mind when you hear the word _fire_," Ivy concluded, raising his brow in astonishment.

Lucy felt her eye twitch when Maya burst out in laughter and Loke began humming teasingly. Ivy, gladly, just smirked slightly. The blonde glared at all of them, raising an eyebrow.

"Thanks a lot. Choke on yourselves," she muttered, face burning with red from embarrassment. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, Luce," she said, grinning slyly. "Your heart is yearning for _fire_. Gotta follow your heart."

"That's her catchphrase, for some ballooney reason," Ivy pointed out, raising his eyebrow.

"Shut up, you son of a whale."

"You don't tell me what to do, wife of the almighty troll."

"Seriously. You couldn't come up with something better, _mermaid_?"

"Mer_man_, if you please."

"How about no?"

"I think it's time you go back underground, anteater."

Lucy glared at the two Dragon Slayers, puckering her lips.

"I think it's time you both _shut up _so that I can think," she warned, her eyes suddenly reminding Loke too much of Erza. He gulped.

"I think it's time you do that before she rips your throat off," Loke whispered in Ivy's ear. The blue haired mage coughed nervously, nudging Maya's shoulder with his own. She glared at him, about to throw another insult, but Lucy's glare told her otherwise, and she let her words drown in her own saliva.

"Okay. Good, some silence," she muttered, and inhaled deeply, slowly closing her eyes.

"Don't forget to think about Natsu," Maya blurted, and immediately regretted it.

Despite Lucy's homicidal glare and fuming crimson cheeks, Ivy and Loke couldn't avoid snickering through gritted teeth. Maya grinned, to which Lucy sighed dramatically.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde mage closed her eyes, her body once again travelling in that reservoir of serenity that meditating provided. A small frown usurped her face as she focused, focused to the point of breaking in a faint sweat. She worked memories, pictures, laughter, sounds, touches, all in her head, all related to Natsu and his irresistible grin and fiery temper.

Ivy and Maya felt their eyes widen to the size of an owl's when Lucy's body began glowing a flammable red, levitating clothes and golden hairs with the uttermost beauty. She looked like a goddess, the goddess of Fire. The glow was weak at first, but when Lucy gritted her teeth and leaped up to her feet, her body erupted in such powerful fire that the pair and Loke had to stumble backwards with a yelp, watching as the ardored blaze caught on the vivid leaves and wet grass to form a magic circle at her feet. Slowly, Fire began kissing its way up her legs, arms, fingers, neck, creating a striking halo of reds and oranges sprouting off Lucy's golden hair. Clothes burned off, flames began spreading around the clearing, and if it weren't for Ivy's barrier of water, him, Maya and Loke would have their legs aching with heat.

Almost like slow motion, Lucy's eyes unveiled open. They gleamed a fierce red, magic characters and designs making their way to her _neck_, as unbelievable as it looked. Her arms spread apart, the Fire almost worshipping her. As she chanted the holy words of such element, her voice was loud and extremely enchanting.

"_In where the gates of Mercury harbor Heat,_

_In my body burns the soul of Fire,_

_Shall my power vent forward, shall it obey my will,_

_The will to fight, the will to protect,_

_The will to win, the will to rule,_

_The will that makes my knowledge burst strong._

_Oh holy Hephaestus, hear my prayer,_

_I shall call your element forth and claim it as my own!_

_AESTUS MERCURIUS!_"

As if the words of the spell were a trigger, fire burst through the whole clearing and beyond in a crisp thirst, yet in an odd beauty. Ivy winced at the unbearable heat, widening and reinforcing his water spell to a dome and standing on his feet to protect Loke and Maya, as well the Exceeds from getting in touch with the fire. Lucy's body was invisible. It was far too consummed by Fire that only her curvy outlines were visible. Maya grimaced, shielding her face with her forearm while Loke kneeled. The proud smirk in his lips was remarkable.

It seemed like eons before the ring of flames was tamed, and when they saw Lucy emerge, she wasn't alone. A man dressed in ancient greek ropes, reddish long beard and tuft of shoulder length hair matching his element Fire almost perfectly, materiallized before her. Lucy herself had her red plaid button-up shirt and denim shorts singed, and her chestnut eyes were still adorned in those abnormal scripts of magic. She looked brave and fierce, facing the God dead in his scarlet red eyes while the Fire surrounded her to make her resemble a warrior. She truly was one now, as she made eye contact with the God.

Hephaestus.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" he asked, in a loud and superior voice. She stood with her chin raised and pride unwavered.

"I am. I have summoned your holy element, Fire, and wish to possess your wisdom and domain over it," she requested. She sounded more mature and serious this time, not as reluctant as she had been with the other three spells.

Hephaestus eyed her carefully, scanning the damage she had created with just a simple summon, and then met her eyes once again. His own were of a terrifying scarlet red, but Lucy never let her guard down. It seemed to impress him.

"Then my powers are at thy service," he declared, but instead of taking her hand in his burned and calloused one, he held it inches away from her face. "Thou has begun mastering the Fire, Aestus Mercurius, and art bound to this holy embodiment of mine."

Out of his hand, several binds of shimmering red snaked out and slowy wrapped around many parts of Lucy's body—her arms, wrists, thighs, ankles, neck and head. After one last stare at those dragon like eyes, she saw Hephaestus dimly disappear, but the red binds in her flesh only followed until he was entirely gone. Lucy blinked, and her eyes widened at the scathed trees and nature, watching the fire wheeze out from the plants and absorb itself into her hands and arms. As it vanished, her hands almost instantly turned into that familiar shade of green of Sano Terram, to heal the forest back to normal.

Lucy glanced at her palms, surprised at the Cure's willing action, and turned to check on her spirit and friends. While Ivy's pinnacle of water vanished, the trio stared at her as if she had grown a pair of wings and a tail, clothes charred and hairs tousled. Tullip was kneeling on the now once again green grass, wide eyed, and Jack was clearly astonished.

"You… are incredible," Loke breathed, and broke in a wide grin. Maya and Ivy soon followed, and they all began approaching her.

"Luce, that was _awesome_," she emphasized on the latter, holding out her hands in a dramatic gesture. Lucy raised an eyebrow, grinning.

"Even though I nearly killed you all?"

"You kidding me? I'm the _Water _Dragon Slayer here, I held it out well," Ivy snorted, and smirked. "But still, I agree with Maya. That was amazing, Lucy."

"Thinking of Natsu helped, huh?" Maya said suggestively. Lucy scowled at her, flushing pink. However, they all grinned when she smiled, looking away.

"Yes, it did," she mumbled, in a sing-song voice. Her blush faded into a curious crease of her brow before anyone could tease her. "But I wonder, why did I cause so much damage with Aestus Mercurius when with the other spells I didn't do almost anything?"

Loke tightened his lips, running a hand through his messy mane. Ivy's lips twitched in a slight smirk.

"It's probably because you feel such strong emotions for Natsu," he said. "The Fire must have sensed how devoted you are to him, and turned your feelings into magic."

"That sounds a lot like Fairy Sphere," Lucy mumbled.

"Fairy Sphere?" Maya repeated, curious.

"Fairy Sphere, one of the three Great Magics of the Fairy Tail Guild," Jack suddenly piped in, floating over Ivy's head with an intrigued look, "A spell which converts Fairy Tail members' bonds and faith into magic power. The spell protects the guild from any evil, an absolute defense magic, powerful enough to defend against even time. However, the sphere acts as a stasis chamber, a place in which time stops, thus everyone within the sphere is stuck in a frozen state in which they don't age."

"And I present you Jack," Ivy finished dully, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. "He's pretty studious as you can guess."

"And correct," Lucy added, smiling at the gray haired Exceed. Jack smiled back, and settled on top of her blonde head shamelessly. She giggled, fingering his swaying tail.

"I've heard of it," Ivy said. "The Fairy Tail mages that got frozen for seven years, after Acnologia's attack on Tenroujima."

"You were one of them, weren't you, Luce?" Maya asked. Lucy nodded, pursing her lips.

"An experience I hope I never go through again. I lost so much…"

Nobody said a word, the mood falling into an uncomfortable silence. Lucy blinked dazedly at Ivy and Maya's sad frowns, startling the pair of Dragon Slayers with a cheery laugh.

"Hey, don't get all gloomy on me," she scolded playfully. "I promised myself I'd get _two _spells done today."

"Two?!" Loke exclaimed, awestruck. "Lucy, you do realize you'll probably be out of magic for at least three days? It _is _true that the grand spells don't waste a drop of your magic during a battle, but it's spent in this process of mastering them."

Lucy shook her head solemnly.

"I don't care, Loke. I promised myself I'd master them all, and I will. I feel the magic run strong in my veins," she said, stretching her arms to emphasize her words. "I can do this."

The Leo seemed reluctant, fingers fiddling in his hands, but he nodded.

"What spells?"

Lucy bit her lip, signalling she wasn't sure, but then Ivy came up with an idea.

"How about spells that match mine and Maya's magic?" he suggested. "We could meditate with you and help you achieve that required part of your magic faster."

Lucy raised her brow, pleased with the idea, as Maya grinned. Loke smiled, nodding.

"That's a great tactic."

"But won't that affect Lucy's… well, independence related to the spell?" Tullip asked. Lucy's shoulders slumped in defeat at the words, only for her lips to break in a smile when Loke shook his head.

"It only allows her to achieve that certain part of her magic inside her body faster. Mastering the spells is a process done by practicing," he explained, and then smiled widely. "Now, which spells match their magic?"

Lucy nibbled on her inner mouth, kneeling to grab the manual. After turning some pages and thorough reading—also noticing the Aestus Mercurius letters glowing red—she found one that might be fitting for Maya's aid.

Martis Vis, the Mars spell.

_The spell that gathers both strength and properties of the Earth element that is most similar to Mars, _it read, _only this time, it is mostly about earth phenomenons and catastrophes related to the violent side of nature. The main attack that may be used is enhanced strength, enough to stop great weight like a heavy building with just one hand. It can also call forth phenomenons like earthquakes._

"The one that may be useful with Maya's help is Martis Vis," she said, gently throwing the book to the ground. "The Strength spell."

"Well, it's related to Earth. Maya will be of use," Ivy commented, smirking slightly. The short brunette hit him in the head, before sitting across from Lucy on the ground.

Both girls joined hands, and after a quick smile sent at each other, emerald green and chocolate brown went unseen. Lucy felt it, Maya's magic power seeping in between their connected hands. Stiffening her back, the blonde pursed her lips as the brunette's magic flowed into her veins, as hers travelled Maya's fingers and arms, and eventually both were engulfed in glows of distict colors. Maya's body erupted in an entrancing green while Lucy's turned to a golden brown. Their hands squeezed harder, expressions going tense as the magic level began growing, and just like Aestus Mercurius, hairs and clothes oscillated gently as the power reached the point of pouring out of each other's bodies.

Ivy and Loke watched Maya and Lucy slowly surge from the grass, fiercely grabbing one another's arms and pressing foreheads. The magic ranges in the air were rising noticeably, and it was surprising for the magic to already be achieved this soon. Maya's colaboration was definitely a boost.

And then, their eyes opened. They stared into each other's pair of orbs, Lucy seeing glimmering green and Maya fixating on golden brown patterns encripted in cocoa eyes. On cue, the whole land shifted, breaking in rampant trembles and wide cracks appearing beneath the girls' feet. The earth breaking was a problem to spectators though, and Loke took Ivy and the Exceeds far away from Lucy's summoning, yet close enough to see it happening.

Lucy and Maya withdrew foreheads, hands tightly joined as they arched their backs to enhance the magic dancing around them, only to make the glows brighten. Lucy's face gleamed with determination.

"_Strength of ten men, strength of a thousand beasts,_

_Mars, thou who holds the mystery of power,_

_I wish to see your touch, and to possess your touch,_

_To consumme it and let it consumme,_

_As my fists guide my battles and my power goes berserk,_

_With Strength nestled deep in my soul._

_I summon the holy Kratos and the wise Ares,_

_I beg to tame your power and inherit it,_

_To make me utterly unstoppable!_

_MARTIS VIS!"_

The fierce earthquake and thick gashes on the ground were starting to become life threatning for Ivy and the rest of the viewers, and when they inwardly admitted they might get hurt, two figures appeared before the girls. They stepped back slightly from each other, but still joined hands to keep the magic running. One was a bulky figured man, with a short, dark brown beard and unruly hair, eyes narrowed and darker than oblivion. The pale robes were long and only covered his body from the hips down, showing the rippled muscles that symbolized Strength. The other, however, didn't wield any of those white ropes Lucy had been seeing. Instead, he was clad in an armor of gold and copper that covered all of his traits except his strong legs, his dark eyes glaring at her through the carefully built helmet. Upon their arrival, the dangerous earthquake calmed down and the cracks thinned.

Kratos and Ares, the gods of Strength and War.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" Kratos inquired, in a low and thick voice.

"Yes, I am. I have summoned your Strength, and wish to possess your wisdom and domain over it," she half repeated the words she had said to Hephaestus. Lucy wasn't sure, but she could swear she saw a hint of a smirk under the layers of beard of Kratos.

"Then our powers are at thy service," Ares declared, through the metal in his head. "Thou has begun mastering Strength, Martis Vis, and art bound to this pair of holy embodiments."

They did the same gesture as Hephaestus, and Maya released Lucy's hand when strings of golden and brown magic began envelloping the same body parts as Aestus Mercurius, especially around her fingers and hands areas. To the brunette's relief, the aura of magic she had conjured for Lucy had faded into the blonde, not herself, marking the union as successful.

The pair of gods then disappeared, the disaster previously created now sated. Lucy eyed the glimmering binds vanishing from her body, smiling at yet another spell in mastering process. When she looked up to Maya, that smile stretched into a grin, and she couldn't help but pull the petite girl into a tight hug. Maya laughed wholeheartedly as both danced lightly around the grass, holding onto each other.

"I knew it was going to work!" Ivy said, laughing when the two girls tackled him to the ground.

The three fell to the grass in fits of laughter and joy, Loke and the Exceeds smiling at the scene before them. Lucy wrapped her arms around Ivy in the same tight hug she had given Maya, grinning so widely she feared her cheeks would rip open.

"Thank you, Ivy!" she exclaimed, and hung one arm around the brunette beside her to hug both of them. "And you, Maya! Mavis, if it weren't for you two… I don't know where I'd be."

"You don't have to thank us," Maya assured, winking. Lucy grinned even more.

"One to go, though," Ivy reminded, and squirmed to get Lucy's manual. She grabbed it, smiling at the glowing brown and golden letters of Martis Vis, and searched for a spell that could befit Ivy's element.

She was a little disappointed in seeing that there was no spell for water, but ice. Water was a component of ice, but by the way it was described, it seemed there was an easier way of achieving that side of her magic and it wasn't by combining her power with Ivy's.

Neptuno Glacie. The Neptune spell.

"The Ice spell. It can lower temperatures and control the element Ice itself, and it can be easily compared to Ice-Make magic. The caster can, for example, solidify the ground or summon a blizzard, or even shape weapons with the ice," she read.

Ivy frowned, fixing his position on the ground to sit cross legged.

"I don't get it," Lucy said, confused. "According to Greek Mythology, Poseidon is the God of the Seas, not Ice."

"Like you said, _mythology,_" Loke piped in. "It isn't necessarily correct. The names are, somehow, but their domains and magic are slightly off the charts."

"Water isthe element Ice," Ivy stated. "But by the description… I think an Ice-Make mage would be much easier for you."

"That's what I thought," she said, frowning slightly.

"Why don't you ask Eira?" Maya suggested. Ivy secretly grimaced, knowing what would be the outcome, but remained silent, uncertain.

"Well, it won't kill me to try," Lucy shrugged, aware of how the petite ice mage was isolated from the world.

The trio, after Loke vanished back into the Spirit World, and along with the Exceeds, headed back to Dragon Claw with the sole intention of requesting Eira's help. All of their clothes were still burned and disproportional, but they were about to witness an Ice summoning. It wasn't long before they got them freezing cold. Bending over tree branches on quick steps, they got to the cottage of the guild, waving their hands to swiftly greet those who acknowledged their presence.

"She's probably in the library," Ivy voiced, and Lucy was guided by the two Slayers to the second floor of the guild.

"She's _always _in the library," Maya deadpanned, rolling her eyes. Ivy ignored her.

They quickly headed for the small library, and when the doors were pushed open, they confirmed Ivy's prediction. She was always in the library, just as Maya had said. Upon their rackety arrival, Eira gently glanced at them, only to go back to her tome of a book. Lucy inhaled slowly, stepping forward to approach the younger girl. A kind and polite smile was drawn to her lips, as if to lure her. Ivy and Maya watched expectantly, both aware of Eira's slightly cold character.

"Hello, Eira," Lucy greeted, tilting her head in curiosity. "What are you reading?"

"The dictionary," she stated bluntly. Maya was about to break in hysterical laughter, thinking why on Earthland she was reading that, but Lucy's warning stare stopped her intentions. Instead, she covered her giggle with a cough, feeling Ivy's incoming smirk.

"Why, may I ask?" Lucy inquired, and pulled out a stool to sit on. "Are you writing something?"

"Just because."

Ivy raised his eyebrows while Maya frowned, utterly confused and bewildered. Who grabbed the dictionary and decided to read the _whole _thing for no reason?

"Ah… I see you're just thirsty for knowledge," Lucy mumbled, and before the smaller blonde could retort anything, she went for the kill. "Say, Eira… I have a favor to ask you."

At her mere raise of an eyebrow, Lucy breathed in, and conjured a pleading look.

"The magic I use is called the Grand Spells of the Solar System, but I haven't mastered them all," she began explaining. "It takes an awful lot of time and meditation for my mind to find the the magic within me necessary to master the spells, but I learned today that, if I colaborate with a fellow mage whose magic is similar to the spell's, I can find that part of my magic much faster."

Eira just stared at her, with those doll like eyes and vacant expression. Lucy bit her lip.

"The spell I'm trying to master is called Neptuno Glacie, and is an Ice spell. It says in the description, in the manual, that it can be easily compared to Ice-Make magic. So…" she gulped, clearing her throat. "What I'm trying to say here is… will you help me?"

Eira blinked, leisurely closing the heavy dictionary. When she jumped from her stool, Lucy felt a slimmer of hope in her chest, until the short blonde just walked by her without so much as a glance. Only the word that doomed her.

"No."

* * *

**Stupid Eira, who won't help Lucy. What to you think? Why doesn't Eira want to help? Tell me your opinions, PEPS.**

**REVIEW. I'm running out of threats. Oh wait, no, if you don't review, I'll stop uploading chapters and I'll keep writing them just to piss you off. EHEH.**


	11. A Cold Past and the Power of Bonds

**SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! I told you I have a lot going on, but I haven't given up on this fic, no freaking way.**

**Remember Faux Tales – Atlas? Check out Dystopia. It's perfect for the scene.**

**Also, a special thanks to KuroiAoiShishio for beta reading.**

* * *

"Stupid Eira, who won't help Luce," Maya growled, stuffing her face with french fries.

"It's alright," Lucy assured, fingering the straw on her fizzy drink. "I can understand why. I just joined the guild, she doesn't trust me yet."

"That's not an excuse," Ivy spat, eyes narrowed. "She's seen how we all get along with you and that your magic aura feels anything but dark. Now, she's just being a cunt."

"Ivy," Lucy chastised. "She doesn't want to help, and you don't need to call her that, she's only fourteen."

"Doesn't matter!" Maya hissed. Suddenly, her hand smacked their lunch table at the guild hall, startling many mages at her outburst.

"Sheesh, Maya," Tulip whispered, scowling. The ginger Exceed was ignored.

"She's being a fuckin' brat!" Maya shouted, almost purposefully.

Lucy winced when her voice came out in a sing-song tone.

"Keep it down, she's going to hear you!" Lucy hissed, a glare in her cocoa eyes. Boy, Maya was starting to seem like a female version of Natsu to Lucy. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to feel relieved or panicked.

"I don't give a damn, I'm getting you a microphone," Ivy snorted. There was something evil in Maya's grin that put Lucy uneasy.

"Look, guys," Lucy sighed, "I really appreciate you defending me and all, but you of all people know how Eira is. From what I've seen, she seems to be a girl that doesn't rely on her feelings. She just doesn't trust me yet."

Maya pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly. "It's just unfair."

"Life isn't fair, Maya," the blonde stated, shrugging as she bit down on the delicious hamburger Ellia had prepared for her.

She grimaced when encountering cold meat and bread, a scowl on her face. It probably had gone cold while the trio discussed. Lucy eyed the burger for a second, before her lips rounded and she blew hotly on the food, intending to heat it up. Upon feeling it warm up quite fast beneath her fingers, the mage smirked, and took a bite, now hot and savory on her taste buds. Ivy sputtered at the scene.

"That's one way of using and _respecting_ the Fire," he said, sarcastically. Maya snorted when Lucy stuck out her tongue childishly.

"Go get a mermaid pregnant and then we'll talk."

Maya burst out laughing, nearly choking on her soda when Ivy glared at Lucy. A smirk inched its way up his lips.

"Go ask Dragneel to unleash his _dragon_ on you."

Out of all mages in the hall, Maya was the one that laughed the loudest when Ivy was sent flying to the bar counter—courtesy of Martis Vis.

* * *

"She _refused_?"

Lucy could swear she had never pictured Sam to be this disbelieving. She had come across the Snow mage when she was exploring the guild's surroundings, to find him practicing with his magic in yet another clearing of the Forest Groove. His white snow had briefly tapered on the vivid colors of May, before he allowed it to fade back into his hands when he spotted Lucy's presence. They had chatted quietly, and when Lucy touched on the subject of Eira's denial, it looked like Sam's eyes received a bite from a mosquito flying nearby.

"Is it that surprising?" she questioned, frowning. Sam parted his lips, rubbing the back of his head.

"Not surprising, just disappointing," he sighed, slumping his shoulders. "For some reason, my sister has never showed any emotions for many years. She's never smiled, never laughed… we've been all cheering for her to open up sometime, but you saying that she refused to help you…"

Lucy's eyes saddened when Sam ran a hand through his smooth brown hair, as he sat down on the ground.

"I'm worried."

She smiled gently, joining him in the dirt.

"You should be. After all, you're her brother."

He sighed, a melancholic frown overriding his face. Lucy leaned her chin on her knees, a similar expression beginning to show. Eira was definitely the rare teenager, without displaying so much as a hint of happiness or sadness. It was difficult to read a teen's mind, even more so with a character like hers. But if even her brother wasn't aware of why she acted so indifferent, how could Lucy understand why Eira wasn't willing to help her?

As if to break the tension, Sam inhaled and told Lucy about what seemed be causing Eira's somber behavior.

"When we were kids, our parents got killed by a hideous monster, while protecting us," he said, in a husky voice, almost as if talking about it would evoke tears. "The responsibility of watching over Eira was suddenly on me. I did my best to smile at her, despite our condition."

Sam closed his eyes.

"We had no food, nowhere to go in that gods' forsaken winter, and we were _scared_. Terrified. We traveled around Fiore in hopes of finding kindness, people who would help us. But no one did," he suddenly chuckled darkly. "That's how life is. It doesn't matter your condition, the people out there are self-pretentious arrogants who won't lift a finger to do a good deed."

Lucy frowned, about to retort on how that wasn't entirely true, but Sam just smiled at her.

"That was what I thought until we found Dragon Claw. At the time, I fully expected Master Danny to turn his back on us like all the others did. He didn't."

Sam's frown had erupted in a nostalgic smile, a look of gratefulness in his eyes.

"He took us under his wing, fed us, and gave us a home. He was such a powerful mage, and he still is, so we felt at ease with him. Like our long lost uncle."

He suddenly chuckled.

"That's when we met Maya and Ivy. Holy Anna, I had never seen such an untamed pair. But I'm glad for that, because they were somehow like a gift from the Master. He gave us food and a home, and introduced us to friendship and family love."

Lucy smiled warmly as small tears pooled in her eyes, touched by the sad story of the Shilga siblings' past, and yet somehow reminded of… Gray.

She frowned, tilting her head sideways slightly in thought.

"Sam," she whispered, "was the monster that killed your parents by any chance called… Deliora?"

Sam flinched, gritting his teeth in rage.

"It was..."

_Just as I thought, _Lucy echoed in her mind, her breath hitching. Her eyes closed as Gray's heartbreaking words resounded in her memories, kindly placing her hand on his left shoulder. She could somehow share his pain. The pain of losing both parents too early.

"Unfortunately, you're not the only victimized by that beast," she whispered, and squeezed his shoulder, her lips tight. "I don't really want to give you information that isn't mine to share, but I know someone that suffers from the same pain."

Sam jolted slightly at her words, frowning at her. His blue eyes, which, Lucy noted, held a tinge of lilac now, conveyed surprise, sorrow, and mutual understanding. She smiled sadly, her own shoulders slumping as unwanted flashbacks flickered in her mind. Yes. She understood very well what it felt like to lose a family. She'd experienced it twice.

"I also lost my mother when I was young, and my father passed away last year. I guess I somehow can understand you, too."

Sam smiled for a second, looking less stressed. But he still seemed tense.

"Perhaps… losing our parents triggered some kind of trauma in my sister," he suggested, and he clearly didn't like that idea. Lucy felt the same, but she had to admit that the theory was valid.

"Then it's your job and the guild's to restore her faith in life, if that's how she feels," she advised. He remained silent.

Giving him a brief hug, Lucy bid goodbye with a wave and began walking away from a distressed and thoughtful looking Sam. However, the blonde stopped, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"If Eira ever reconsiders helping me, tell her I'll be in that clearing nearby the guild," she said softly. "Also, I already told Ivy and Maya that I'll be away from the guild for a few days, to finish the spells. See you around, Sam."

She didn't check for his reaction, and broke in a light run towards the depths of the Forest Groove. Tears were starting to flow down her cheeks as the spring breezes blew her braided hair and clothes, and Lucy was unable of containing a sniffle. It was all starting to come together in her head, how her life was a mess. She had lost her mother, her beloved mother and the one she could trust the most. Her father kept his distance, and when he began redeeming himself, Lucy lost him too. Then Natsu opened a door to happiness, gave her a family, before he forgot her entire existence. The pain only doubled when Lucy was reminded of her feelings for him, and she felt like she'd been slapped, upon remembering he definitely did not reciprocate them. Natsu was like that, not into love.

Lucy let out a hybrid of a trembling sob and a yelp when her foot was caught in a sprouting vine on the ground. She fell down heavily, groaning at the impact. She was so overwhelmed though, so depressed and desperate that she didn't bother to stand up to her feet. Her back shuddered while she cried silently, and she crossed her arms beneath her forehead. Her life sucked. She could very well admit that. Why couldn't Natsu just love her? Why did he have to toss her aside? And, despite the selfishness of the question, why did Lisanna have to come back? She had just found happiness, a true friend and confidant in Natsu, and then it was all stolen from her grasp. Mavis, Lucy just wanted to curl into a ball and disappear off the face of Earthland. It was all so unfair.

"Lucy?"

Her eyes burst open wide. No. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. It was impossible.

"Luce."

That _voice._ This had to be a prank. Maybe she was missing him so damn much that her brain was going delusional and she was imagining his voice.

"Lucy, get up."

Still, that hot, calloused hand on her shoulder felt too real, and too good. She wasn't imagining things. He was right there, next to her, touching her, talking to her. She felt like her chest would explode with enthusiasm and despair.

"Natsu?!" Lucy cried out, and lifted herself off the ground as fast as an arrow in motion.

He was there. He was right there, those salmon strands and white scarf fanning in the wind. He was kneeling so close to her, grinning at her with those onyx eyes sparkling, and cupping her face with those overly warm and soft hands. Lucy laughed breathlessly in disbelief while he wiped her tears with his thumbs, clutching at his wrists like her life depended on it.

"You're here, you're really here," she breathed, grinning back at him. "Is it really you, Natsu?"

The cheerful mood died at that question. Natsu's grin immediately faded, and an expression that radiated guilt took over his face. Lucy's eyes frowned, but there was still a smile on her lips. That only seemed to make it worse for him.

"Natsu?"

He breathed in, closing his eyes.

"No."

And then, her heart shattered. She could form no words. She could form no response because when his eyes reopened, they were inhumanly black, covering even the white muscles around the irises. Lucy knew right then and there.

Gemini.

The blonde's arms dropped to her sides and her hair fell over her face, an almost dark expression in her eyes. Gemini, still as Natsu and with his eyes onyx once again, frowned at her with slumped shoulders, and moved 'his' hands to her shoulders.

"We feel all of your pain, Lucy," they said, in _his_ voice. Lucy just wanted to cry. "We thought… we thought that maybe if we showed up like this, you'd cheer up."

She didn't answer, merely allowing a shaky sob to escape her lips. Gemini grimaced, tightening the grip on her shoulders and closing 'Natsu's eyes. Just as they decided to dispel the cover, to not make their mistress cry even more, Lucy shook her head.

"Please, don't," she hiccupped, and moved to rest her head on 'his' bare chest. "Just… let me have this moment. Let me be fooled just this once."

Gemini blinked, but when the Celestial mage sniffled and curled up to their current form, they smiled gently and wrapped 'his'arms around her trembling form.

Lucy was in heaven. There was nothing better than Natsu's hugs when she was sad. Even though this wasn't him, even though it was just to soften her chagrin, it would do. The hot arms around her tightly and the feel of the smooth spikes of his hair were awfully convincing. The only things missing were his comforting, sunny scent, and his actual being. Lucy inhaled, fighting back the tears that wanted to pour down. She just had to savor this moment.

After what seemed like eons of being cocooned in the warmth of Gemini's flawless embodiment of _her _Natsu, Lucy moved away. She gulped as she stared into those bottomless noir eyes. She wished it was really him and his eyes looking at her. Her heart was at the verge of exploding and all she needed was Natsu.

But she had to be strong. Wasn't that what she promised herself to become? She was a Celestial mage, and as such, she always kept her promises.

"Thank you, Gemini," she said, hoarsely.

They smiled at her, and as if reading her innermost wishes, a pair of rough lips was pressed to her forehead in a lingering kiss. Lucy started to shudder, struggling to not cry. She couldn't cry anymore.

Eventually, those heavenly lips were gone, and in a burst of white, Lucy was left alone in the woods. As she slowly raised her chin to see through the thick foliage of the trees, those burdensome tears left her eyes anyway. Her vision was glassy and wavy, and through the frame of warm liquid, Lucy could see shades of red, orange and purple behind the dark green dots of the forest pinnacle. Sunset. She didn't bother to count the hours she'd lost.

Staggering to her feet, the blonde mage headed for her favorite clearing, with slow steps and a heavy heart.

* * *

_It's no use_, Lucy thought, sighing.

For the past few hours, she had been meditating, lost in herself and her inner vessel of magic as she sought for the spot of Ice within her, the key that would unlock the gates to Neptuno Glacie. So far, she was failing. She wasn't certain why, but her uneasiness had something to do with either the lack of aid from a fellow mage or the fact that she had been so close to Natsu, who was revealed to be... not Natsu. Be it one or another, they weren't letting her concentrate or find peace.

Lucy fisted her hands, head hanging down to her chest as another surge of sadness went through her. The treacherous tears spilled to her cheeks again and her chest bounced when she hiccupped violently, her Dragon Claw marked hand moving to palm her face.

"I'm pathetic," she breathed, laughing humorlessly. "I'm this messed up because of a _boy_."

It truly felt ridiculous to her. She'd always consider herself to be untouchable when it came to being in a relationship, that she could handle anything because no boy could ever get to her this much. But Natsu Dragneel was not an ordinary boy. No, he was a man, the man that contradicted these rules. And Lucy both hated and loved him for that.

She was starting to grow desperate. She wanted, no, needed to master the Grand Spells in order to become stronger. And Natsu, somehow, wasn't letting her. She felt weak. Weak and useless, and as lonely as she had felt in those three months of isolation. What could she do?

The sound of leaves rustling and the outline of a figure caught Lucy's attention. Squinting her eyes and wiping her tears with her sleeve, she tried to make out the presence through the darkness of the night. By the stars and the rising moon in the sky, Lucy assumed it was practically bed time.

The figure, short and feminine, approached her in steady steps, and the blonde murmured 'Venus Lucem' under her breath to spark a light in her right hand. She blinked in confusion and surprise.

"Eira?" she muttered. Her voice was raspy from crying.

Eira merely blinked, and looked at her own feet, almost in shame. Her tiny arms were crossed over her chest and she was donning a long sleeved lilac dress, flowing just above her knees and perfectly blending in the night. Her bright blonde hair was gently fluttering with the wind and covering her downcast eyes.

"I'm sorry."

The words were so soft and timid, so easily wandering through the night, but Lucy heard them nonetheless. She parted her lips, yet no words slipped out. She took a deep breath, and rose from the ground, hands outstretching to touch Eira's narrow shoulders. The petite girl flinched at the contact, a pained smile passing Lucy's lips for a split second as her body began to shiver with sobs. Eira made no attempt to step back from Lucy's tight hug.

"I know how you feel," she whispered over the little blonde's ear. "I know your pain. I know it so well that you couldn't imagine."

At this point, Eira was the one consoling a sobbing Lucy in her arms. Both girls held tight onto each other, sharing their pains through a meaningful silence. Lucy felt at ease. Eira reminded her so much of Wendy this way that her heart somehow calmed down.

"They might be gone, Eira," Lucy suddenly whispered, and moved back with her arms still around her. "But they died loving you. They left wanting to protect you and your brother. And even though they're gone, they'll always be…"

She leisurely moved her hand to Eira's left bosom, smiling motherly like.

"… In here."

Eira's lower lip trembled with a hiccup, but then her face broke in a gesture that both shocked and elated Lucy.

She smiled. It was framed by tears and red puffy cheeks, but it was still there. Lucy returned the gesture a thousand times wider.

"I'll help you, Lucy," Eira stuttered, as the aforementioned blonde brushed away her tears.

"Thank you, Eira."

They joined hands, smiling at each other with newfound kindness, and Eira saw Lucy's chestnut colored eyes disappear beneath a layer of skin.

"Follow my lead, Eira. Seek out your inner Ice, share it with me." The small blonde nodded briefly, mimicking her. Immediately, Lucy felt a cold and yet inviting aura seeping into her fingers, slowly spreading to her arms and eventually nestling into her entire body. The speed of their connection only proved of how powerful Eira was and, perhaps, Lucy herself.

She filled her head with memories and moments spent with her favorite Ice-Make mage. She remembered his spiky night hair, his smirk, his courage, kindness, confidence… the way she thought of Gray was like he was her older brother from different parents. She could never imagine life without him, and Lucy put that fact into consideration while she willed her own inner Ice to come forth.

A bright blue erupted from both girls' bodies, hair and clothes fluttering with the intensity of the magic they were handling. As their immense power began increasing, Eira and Lucy were too absorbed in their casting to notice the male presence watching them from behind a tree. Their hands tightened around each other, a frown and a cold sweat forming on both, but then a soft and knowing smile was drawn to Lucy's lips.

"Now, Eira," she said, in a whisper, over the thick waves of magic radiating from their bodies.

Eira's lips stretched into a similar smile.

And their eyes opened. A visit from winter was fitting to describe the consequences. As cold blue designs and characters were encrypted in Lucy's eyes, a storm of ice and snow invaded the clearing and coated trees and plants in milky white. The ground was suddenly buried under a thin and flawless layer of ice that had originated from Eira and Lucy's feet, spreading out to whatever corners of the forest it ventured to. The harsh winds and cold snow blew their clothes and hair into a pandemonium of twirls, Lucy's side braid becoming undone and locks of golden blending in the silvery snow. The blonde adopted a more serious expression, signaling she was determined to call upon one of the strongest Greek Gods, Poseidon.

"_I search within the depths of wintery Neptune,_

_Its power cold and headstrong, waiting to be dominated,_

_I shall take its shapes into battle,_

_Be it a sword, be it a spear,_

_Be it the bow with arrows made of the coldest ice, and with the strength of the almighty tsunamis,_

_Be it the weapon shaped of water or blizzard that will guide me to victory._

_I call upon thee, oh holy Poseidon,_

_God of the Sea and Winter!_

_NEPTUNO GLACIE!_"

At the end of her magical words, the scenery around Eira and Lucy that it was morphed into, was the living proof that Ivy had been right all along. Ice _was _water, therefore Poseidon was not only the God of the Sea, but also the God of Winter, as the words Lucy chanted defined. In the half Eira stood in front of, remained the whirlwinds of ice and snow, but on Lucy's side, all cold and snow vanished, giving way to heavily pelting rain and waves of water dancing around the trees and Lucy's glowing body. Meanwhile, the designs in her eyes had split into two, the same ones for Ice in her left eye and a whole new set that conveyed mirages of water, waterfalls, dangerous tsunamis and everything related to that element in her right eye. Lucy felt more powerful than ever, and Eira was astonished.

The snow and water then disappeared, as a figure materialized in front of the two blondes. Cautiously stepping to the side and keeping their hands together, Lucy and Eira were met with the stern face of the God of the Sea and Winter. He was bare chested and visibly muscled, his skin easily compared to the moist color of caramel. His eyes were of a unique tint of turquoise, framed by locks of long silvery hair that matched his long beard. Just as legends and myths told, he was not human and held a golden trident in his engorged right hand. From his waist down, he was like Aquarius. His merman tail was of a silvery white with details of cold blue around his hips, the fins at the tip matching the color. Unlike Aquarius, he didn't hover in the air, but was supported by a swirling wave of water around his lower half.

Lucy almost felt intimidated by his glare. _Almost_. As Capricorn and Loke always advised, she had to look respectful yet confident in the presence of the gods, and confident she would be.

"Art thou Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia?" he inquired. His voice was so thick and rough that Lucy was reminded of the Spirit King.

"Yes," she responded firmly. "I have summoned your Ice and your holy Water, and wish to share the power and domain you possess over thy elements."

He seemed rather pleased with her brave tone, despite the frown in his old features. He raised his chin, and Lucy gulped slightly when he positioned his sharp trident inches away from her face. Eira squeezed her hand, clearly troubled by the weapon aimed towards her, but Lucy seemed quite sure of herself.

"Then my powers are at thy service," he bellowed, and both water and ice began forming at the tips of the shimmering trident. "Thou has begun mastering Neptuno Glacie, the Ice spell, and Neptuno Aquolium, the Water spell. Thou art bound to this holy embodiment of mine."

The two farthest tips of the trident glowed, the right blue and the left white. Water and shattered Ice left their respective ends, turning into thin swirls around Lucy's body. Poseidon nodded slowly, as if approving of her, and began disappearing with both elements. In slow motion, the clearing went back to normal, leaving no traces of the elements that had previously been on the forest, except with Lucy. She glowed a mixture of blue and silver, and Eira was wearing a shocked expression.

As the glow subsided from Lucy's body, she turned to the young blonde. "Thank you again, Eira."

"That was…" she began, and raised her chin, just to widen her eyes in disbelief, "divine."

Lucy blinked, following Eira's astounded stare to the night sky. It turned out she had quite the good reason to be shocked. What had been previously a dark sky with just a few bright stars surrounding the moon, was now a myriad of colors throughout the skies, the most prominent being shades of purple, blue, orange, red, green, yellow and so many others that Lucy couldn't count. Those few stars had multiplied endlessly, and combined with the promiscuous colors, created a perfect illusion of the vast cosmos. Lucy was speechless.

"And that," a male voice echoed, "is proof that you've earned their trust."

Lucy and Eira turned abruptly at the intruder. _I__ntruders_. Along with a smirking Master Danny, were Maya, Ivy and Sam, who gawked at the sky Lucy's power had changed. Sam broke out of his trance, and stared at his sister. Eira blinked, frowning briefly, before she gave him a heartwarming smile. The three teenagers widened their eyes, shocked, and Sam reciprocated the gesture with tears in his icy eyes. Eira ran to her brother, hugging him tightly, and over the little blonde's shoulder, Sam glanced at Lucy and muttered a 'thank you'. She smiled, nodding, and turned to a smiling Master Danny.

"Their trust?" she repeated. Master Danny approached her, the others not far behind.

"Have you not noticed that your body is still glowing, Lucy?" he pointed out.

She eyed herself at his words, and gasped upon discovering the truth in them. Her body was still engulfed in a gleam, but it was pure golden, like her hair.

"You're not done," he said, and looked intrigued. "They want you to master the remaining two spells now, at once."

"Two spells at the same time?" Ivy suddenly piped in, shocked. "She won't make it, Master. She's mastered two spells today, and one of them turned out to be a double."

"You can do it, Lucy," Master Danny assured, "You have more power than you imagine. How do you think Gemini was capable of impersonating Natsu Dragneel?"

Lucy's eyes widened at his observation, mouth open to ask, rudely, as to how he knew, but he held his hand to stop her uttering a word.

"That is part of my magic, Lucy. I can read people's thoughts."

She closed her mouth, suddenly uneasy with this bit of information. She had to be careful with her mind around Master, from now on. He smiled, amused at her thoughts.

"Now, I know quite a lot about this magic you are learning," he said, "I've studied about it when I was a young traveler, through resources I won't reveal. Of course, nobody knew about this magic because it is, along with Dragon Slaying magic, the oldest Lost Magic there is."

"If it's part of Lost Magic, how come Lucy-chan found it?" Sam asked, curious.

"Because she was meant to find that book," Master clarified, and smirked when Lucy raised an eyebrow with wide eyes. "That book belonged to your mother, Layla Heartfilia. Your father didn't tell you to keep you safe, but he mastered the majority of these spells along with your mother. To summarize, while your mother Layla relied mostly on her Holder Celestial magic, your father was secretly a Caster Celestial mage."

"Say _what_?!" Lucy screeched, her high pitched voice echoing in the night. Her eyes were wide to the point of resembling an owl's, and her jaw threatened to collide with the ground. Master Danny chuckled lightly at her reaction.

"It's true. Before he met your mother, he had all of the spells mastered except for Neptuno Glacie and Aquolium, Saturn Malgae, and Jupiter Fulgus. These are the hardest to master. Aestus Mercurius is just a bit easier, though almost as difficult; however, seeing as you have it in your domain already, I don't need to elaborate any further."

He gestured to the obnoxiously starry night sky above them.

"By beginning the process of mastering the Water and Ice spells, you've proved yourself to the gods, and now they trust you. They want you to master the remaining two spells at the same time," he then eyed her carefully. "Do you remember when you passed out and Maya brought you to the guild?"

Lucy nodded. He smirked mischievously.

"Loke's theories aren't entirely correct. Right before you were attacked by her, you started the process of mastering the Fire spell. This spell was the most powerful spell you had attempted to master, and therefore, your brief contact with it was enough to open _another _vessel of magic within your body. Only this time, this vessel's magic," he paused quite dramatically, "is infinite."

The whole gang fell silent. Lucy stared at Master as if he had grown a second head, her brown irises like a pair of small caramel candies surrounded by white. The others mimicked her reaction, though in her direction. Master chuckled briefly.

"So, what you're trying to say is," Sam muttered, blinking in disbelief, "that Lucy-chan can never run out of magic in a battle?"

"To put it simply, yes."

"HOLY HELL!" Maya blurted, gawking at Lucy. The Celestial mage was utterly shocked and confused.

"B—But how is that possible?" she asked. His eyes gleamed with faint enthusiasm.

"The creation of an endless vessel of magic is what people believe to be a myth," he explained, "though, as you can see, it's not. You've begun mastering two related types of Lost magic, Lucy: the Eight Grand Spells of the Solar System, and Begalinis Magija, the possession of an endless supply of magic power."

"That still doesn't explain _how _Lucy was able to create a vessel of infinite magic," Eira reminded.

"Ah, the million jewel question," Master Danny smirked.

"We're getting lectured here," Ivy muttered, to which Sam chuckled faintly.

"The gods have been watching you, Lucy. They have examined your feelings and your way of logic, to see if you are worthy of sharing their domain over the types of magic the eight spells consist of."

He took a breath.

"You see, when you made contact with Aestus Mercurius, however brief it was, Hephaestus was able to sense the strong bond you possess with another fire mage."

"Natsu!" Maya exclaimed, but Lucy's warning glare and pinkish cheeks shut her up. Master laughed gently, but then his face turned serious.

"That devotion you possess towards Natsu Dragneel, combined with your compatible magic, undying determination and the bravery required to wish to become stronger, was basically the last proof they needed to know that you are indeed bound to become one of the most powerful mages that ever lived, Lucy."

The blonde kept quiet, the information processing in her head becoming so incredibly unbelievable that she had no words for him. He took it as a sign to proceed.

"That bond between your and Natsu's heart is so strong and practically unbeatable already, that Hephaestus made Begalinis Magija trigger in your body," he continued, smiling knowingly.

"That is so cliché and so awesome at the same time," Maya commented, and laughed in wonder.

Master bent slightly to stare right into Lucy's soul through her widened eyes. "You might as well be an invincible mage, Lucy. If you participated in an S-Class Rank trial by now, you'd win with your hands behind your back."

"Then why don't you give her that title?" Eira suggested. He smiled.

"I'd very much want that, but I'm afraid that's not how it works."

Maya pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"Why not?" she whined. "She's the awesomest mage and person I've ever met."

Lucy blushed lightly at the praise, beaming when the midget brunette hung an arm on her right shoulder with her trademark grin. Ivy smirked as Sam smiled, nodding in agreement, and Eira's smile and somewhat shy position proved she agreed with their perspectives. Unknown to her, all of these encouraging friends slowly brought back her confidence and pride in herself. The grin she sported reached her eyes this time.

"Thank you all, really."

Ivy gestured to her body, raising his brow. "You're still glowing."

"Seriously?" she asked, eying herself and frowning. Master Danny smirked.

"They're ready, Lucy. They want you to master Saturn Malgae and Jupiter Fulgus, and become the most powerful Celestial mage they've ever seen."

Maya grinned even wider, clasping her hands with Lucy's excitedly.

"What are you waiting for then, Luce? Show us how strong you've become."

* * *

**THIS SHIT IS THIRTEEN PAGES LONG.**

**SUPER. LONG. FILLER. CHAPPIEEEEE.**

**This is by far the longest chapter of this fanfic, and whew, I must say I'm proud. I tried so hard to split it into two, but it would lose its meaning and timeline if I did so.** **And it's one of my favorite chapters, too, to tell the truth. What'd you think of Lucy's new magic range and my super weird made up Lost magic spells? Don't ask where I got the endless vessel one, I have no fucking idea.**

**So, this was basically a way of making it up to you guys. Sorry for the long wait.**

**REVIEW! OR I'LL SET YOU ON FIRE!**


	12. Two Missions: One Down, One to Go

**Wow. My first flame. On one hand: I despise people like that. On the other hand: I laughed out loud at their accusations. You can't get to me, flamers, you all suck (except for Natsu, he's hot… in more than one way).**

**Thank you KuroiAoiShishio for beta'ing this chapter. Oh! Also, Sunsetdh, here it is, within four days like you requested.**

* * *

Lucy closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as she willed her magic to surface from within her body. Master Danny had told her that to dominate the remaining spells she had to show the gods one last proof, the proof that she could master two powerful spells by herself.

The five mages watched her concentrate under the rainbow stained night sky, taking in how Lucy's golden glow was starting to waver and widen around her. Her loose blonde hair began shifting with the light breeze that suddenly went by, and her wet, frozen dress shirt and denim skirt followed suit. Her face contorted in a frown while her lips went tight against each other, just as her knuckles flushed white from the grip on her fists.

Lucy didn't think of images befitting of the two spells she was about to deal with. No, she relied on strength and will alone. If the gods wanted her to prove herself, she would, with no backup images, whatsoever. She believed in Master Danny's words on how she'd became powerful, and the gods wanted her usual self-esteem. She'd give them what they wanted.

Master Danny eyed Lucy with narrowed eyes when her glow faded into shades of lilac and purple. Her hair and clothes were shining brighter and flowing higher, and might have been his imagination, but he swore he saw some of the colors in the night's sky glimmer for a moment. Next to him, the four teenagers were completely entranced by Lucy and her overflowing magic, eyes widened in anticipation.

And then, Lucy's eyes snapped open and the sky pulsed with colorful magic. Her eyes were divided into two completely different patterns, the right one tangled in sharp lines of a bluish lilac that resembled thunder, and the left one was a dark purple default with unknown codes. Master Danny could recognize those characters from a book he had come across. They stood for Gravity Magic. Jupiter Fulgus, the Thunder or Energy spell and Saturn Malgae, the Gravity Manipulation spell. The most difficult pair of them all, and Lucy was doing quite a fine job at contracting with them.

Behind the color shadowed clouds in the sky, a clap of thunder roared loudly while plants, flowers, rocks, fallen branches, and anything that was laid on the ground, began floating aimlessly in the air. All of their hair also spread around their heads, Eira's and Maya's resembling golden and chestnut halos, and their clothes and accessories couldn't look and feel less light. The teens were all stunned, briefly checking their attire before focusing their attention back on Lucy. She stood with a serious expression as the glow in her body practically worshiped her.

"_Jupiter and Saturn,_

_I call upon your elements and magic,_

_I will possess thunder and be by thine possessed,_

_I will obtain a reign over gravity and keep it in my grasp,_

_To help me in battles and bond with my magic soul,_

_I, Lucy Heartfilia, call upon the sacred gods that master these elements,_

_Almighty Zeus and holy Phansi,_

_Appear before me!_

_JUPITER FULGUS, SATURN MALGAE!_"

"Phansi?!" Sam inquired, over the loud screeches of the thunder storm.

"A goddess no one is aware of," Master explained in a loud tone. "The Goddess of Gravity and Orbit!"

"This one doesn't have a permanent summon spell?!" Ivy asked.

"No, due to Lucy being in the presence of two distinct spells. I believe she made that one up, another thing the gods wanted to see. Now, they've truly made their decision: they will connect with Lucy and allow her to control their magic as she sees fit."

At that moment, a hazardous looking thunderbolt echoed in the skies, and descended down to the ground—directly into Lucy's head. The five gulped and watched with worry and panic heavy in their features as the blonde growled at the hit. Her eyes squeezed shut, as if in pain, and her teeth gritted, only adding to their distress.

"Lucy!" Maya yelled, trying to step forward, but both Gravity and Master Danny halted her from doing so. He stared at her with such solemn eyes that she had to step back.

"Stay back. You touch that girl and you get sent backwards with the force of several thousand volts," he warned. Maya pursed her lips, but complied.

The blonde then reopened her eyes, and they were definitely not the same as they had been before. At the same time she revealed her colorful and gleaming eyes, the sky burst white at yet another thunder clap, and five thick strings of distinct colors hovered around her in malformed circles. Each one was an element Lucy had contracted with, Water and Ice in two close strings, Fire, Earth, and Air. Along with those four, and maintaining Gravity and Thunder, her body brightened and sudden cracks in the ground erupted beneath her feet, symbolizing Venus Lucem and Martis Vis respectively.

Suddenly, everything stopped. Everything was frozen in place, except for Lucy. Master Danny and the younger mages were, along with the rest of Earthland, frozen in time. Lucy frowned, but when she was met with the presence of four gods surrounding her and six more scattered around the magic circle glowing beneath her feet, her curiosity evaporated.

Right in front of her was a man with golden long hair and short beard, contrasting with his uncommon lilac eyes. The trademark Greek robes fell down his torso and legs, over his pale skin and toned flesh. Just as legends foretold, in his right rough hand was a menacing looking thunderbolt, sparking bright and lilac against his fingers.

Zeus and his Master Bolt.

After blinking in astonishment, Lucy nodded respectfully, and glanced left. Touching her shoulder and eyeing her carefully, was a woman with eyes of a darker hue than Zeus's, framed by a dark purple shade on the lids and her thin lips tainted a soft pink. Long, raven black hair cascaded to her waist, and her body was clad in a long, white, wavy dress. Her hands were delicate and her skin was pale, and felt as ghostly as the other on Lucy's shoulder.

Phansi, the unknown Goddess of Gravity and Orbit.

She repeated the action she showed Zeus, and saw that on her right was Hephaestus and behind her was Poseidon. This was it, the final judgment.

"Lucy Heartfilia," Zeus began, in a voice almost as loud as his thunderstorm. "We have witnessed thine power and judged thine heart, which proved far greater than our expectations."

He raised his bolt and held it scarce inches away from her face, and Lucy saw by the corner of her eye, Hephaestus holding a flame close to her cheek and Poseidon had most likely positioned his trident close to the back of her head. Phansi had already placed her hand on her shoulder, which now glowed a faint purple at Zeus's words. These four were to be her closest gods, as it seemed. Asclepius stood farther behind Hephaestus and Aeolas behind Phansi, signaling they would indulge in a similar bond with her, and the pairs Aphrodite and Apollo with Kratos and Ares were in opposite diagonal spots on the ample magic circle.

"We bind our souls and magic with thou, Lucy Heartfilia, for thou has earned our respect and blessing. _Sikri Tomarus._"

Lucy was then bathed by the spell's magic again, closing her eyes as the magic seeping into her body took its toll on her. Ivy's warning was definitely right. Mastering four spells, the strongest ones in just one day, her body couldn't bear it for too long. Just as the gods began vanishing from her sight along with their magic, time was running again and she was falling to the ground. She was exhausted.

"Lucy!"

* * *

By the time she regained consciousness, it was the break of dawn. Under the dim light that came through the curtains, she recognized the white, black and gray shades of her bedroom. The only thing she didn't expect to see was the lump under the sheets and a tuft of wild mahogany hair peeking from beneath. Lucy groaned while propping her weight to her elbows, and gently shook the Earth mage.

"Maya?" she murmured, her voice like the uncomfortable buzz of a bee in the blissful silence. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Six o'clock.

Maya didn't budge, and after failed attempts to wake her up, Lucy sighed and forced herself to leave the confines of her comfy bed. Since it was near June, she didn't feel that familiar cold air she normally felt when getting up, just a barely noticeable chill. As the blonde made her way to the ample living room, in slow and heavy steps, she spotted yet another intruder crashing in her sofa. Lucy smiled softly. At least Ivy had the decency to take the couch.

She began wondering about her two new closest friends. They shared quite the tipsy relationship, always poking at each other's nerves, but Lucy had no doubt they had the kind of chemistry that didn't go away. What was Maya and Ivy's relationship _truly _all about?

Frowning in suspicion at the question in her head, she began moving around her kitchen, bringing out frying pans and certain ingredients she needed for what she had in mind for breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, home fries, and toast. She decided, as she cracked an egg over a bowl, that Ivy and Maya certainly deserved to be this pampered. Thankfully, back when her mother was alive, Lucy would sneak out with her to watch the cooks prepare her meals. Ever since then, she'd been in love with cooking, just didn't practice it very often. Having her father become distant after her mother's death didn't quite help either, since Lucy didn't dare enrage him even further than she had on that certain birthday of hers. And after joining Fairy Tail, going on missions with Team Natsu, and experiencing so many dangerous adventures took most of her time.

_Hm, if Natsu ever knew I'm a good cook he'd never stop pestering me, _she thought with a smile, while sifting an amount of flour over a bowl. Luckily, she didn't turn gloomy at the thought. That was a good sign.

She poured the eggs, the sugar, the flour, and the grated lemon into the mixer, and flinched at the rampant noises it made when she flicked it on. Given how the sound could remind one of a motorcycle breaking down, she wasn't so surprised when Ivy came stumbling through the door, rubbing the sleep out of his baggy eyes. Lucy frowned.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"A little. I would have slept better if I wasn't so worried about you, your couch does wonders to my back," he mumbled sleepily, and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Why would you be so worried?" she asked, raising an eyebrow with a small smile. "You all knew that amount of magic would make me tired. I had a perfect night, mind you."

Ivy frowned, watching her adjust the tempo on the mixer.

"A perfect night? Lucy, you were unconscious for three days."

Lucy froze. She blinked several times as Ivy's statement registered in her brain, and swiftly turned to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Three days?" she repeated, surprised. He nodded.

"Maya almost went berserk. And so did I, but let's leave it at that," he said, smirking slightly. "Beginning the process of mastering four spells really exhausted you."

"Those are the strongest of them all. No wonder I fell asleep right then and there," she retorted, to which he agreed silently.

"That's what I told Maya. I told her you were fine, just magically exhausted, but she still freaked out."

Lucy twitched her lips, and turned the mixer off.

"I would have, too."

"I know," he answered, slowly standing from the chair to aid her in pouring the contents out of the bowl. Lucy smiled briefly.

"Speaking of Maya, I have a question for you."

"Hmn?" he hummed absentmindedly.

Lucy began handling the eggwhite while Ivy fetched the bacon from the fridge.

"What do you think of her?"

He raised an eyebrow, confused. Lucy giggled.

"Come again?"

"Let me rephrase that," she said, grinning. "What do you feel for Maya?"

The question seemed to catch him off guard. Lucy laughed when he juggled unintentionally with the eggs he had grabbed, and furrowed his brow at her as he finally managed to steady his hands.

"What do I feel for Maya?" he muttered, almost afraid of being heard by the mage in question. He had a good reason to whisper, Dragon Slayers had seriously sharp senses.

"Uh-huh," Lucy said. She began to stir up the eggwhites in a bowl, eyeing him carefully with a knowing smile.

"What's this all about?" he inquired. She shrugged, and tilted her head to signal she wanted the extra eggs poured in the glass. Ivy complied, and with that, he was officially cooking breakfast with Lucy.

"Just curious. You two have that sort of chemistry that doesn't go away, in my opinion."

"Like you and Dragneel?"

She felt a faint heat in her cheeks, but kept her cool. Ivy noticed it, though, and smirked.

"Maybe."

"Don't 'maybe' me, clearly from what Master Danny told me, you two were quite the pair. This 'chemistry' you're talking about, is it the same as the one you and Dragneel share?" he asked. He made it sound so casual by stirring eggs and staring nonchalantly at the ceiling.

"From what Master Danny told you?" Lucy repeated, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't panic," he said, grinning. "He just told us how you two acted. Since he can read your mind, he can see your memories. And he toned down the embarrassment and just told us you two were very _close_."

Lucy's brow twitched, her face fuming, but she ignored it.

"Like, close, _close_."

She pursed her lips. He whistled while ducking to get a bowl.

"Close, close, _close_."

She ignored him again and got started on mixing the whipped eggwhites with the pancake batter.

"Like, to the point of seeing you naked."

Lucy growled, and covered her red face with her hands, shoulders slumping. He just _had _to bring that up. Ivy barked a laugh.

"Come on, Lucy, at least it was him and not some lecherous pervert."

She pouted. "It's still embarrassing. He even touched my…"

She halted at Ivy's wide eyes and suggestive grin, bursting so red in the face that the term 'like a tomato' was a little off. It was more like, she tried to open a packet of ketchup, it blew up in her face and then her cheeks absorbed the liquid. He sputtered at the image.

"You don't have to finish that sentence."

"Good," she muttered, and headed for the stove, bowl in hand. "And yes, I mean that kind of chemistry. Go get me the bag of precooked fries, it's in the freezer."

Ivy obliged with a thoughtful look. Lucy poured a generous amount of batter in the frying pan, and glanced at the Water mage to study his face. He seemed rather pensive. Perhaps he was only trying to sort out his feelings now. Eventually, he sighed, and handed her the plastic bag with a halfhearted smile.

"I already know I love her. I've loved her for years now."

Lucy smiled, seemingly satisfied—and a bit surprised—with his answer.

"When will you tell her?"

He grimaced, fingering the stripe of raw bacon on the counter.

"When she stops being clueless," he mumbled. Lucy glared at him in disbelief.

"Sure, here's the date to that event," she said in a mock high pitched voice. "February 31st, midnight, the local holiday dedicated to Saint _Never_."

Ivy sighed, although grinning in amusement at her joke.

"I know. But I think I should wait a bit more."

"Haven't you waited long enough?" Lucy retorted. She distractedly flipped the pancake while grabbing the sack of fries.

"Lucy, she's nearly three years younger than me."

"Love doesn't know age," she whispered, smiling softly. He had no argument for that.

"Well, true," he muttered, "but she's too young. I just turned nineteen, and she's barely sixteen."

"That's what bothers you? Age?" she asked, blinking in confusion. "You don't strike as the type of guy who would care about that."

"But I do. Especially because she's so goddamn innocent," he growled. Lucy could've sworn she saw a tinge of pink in his cheeks.

She nibbled on her cheek. "I bet she loves you too. I mean, how could she not? You've been together for several years now, as inseparable best friends. Obviously she must feel something too, if she hasn't shown any interest in other guys."

Ivy eyed her carefully for a moment, and she felt slightly awkward under his piercing stare. Then, he smirked. She didn't like that smirk.

"You're summing up your situation with Dragneel, aren't you?"

Lucy didn't answer, merely placing the first pancake on a plate she had prepared on top of the table. Ivy took in how she looked thoughtful, not to mention she was blushing slightly.

"You're changing the subject, Mr. Silver."

He grinned, snickering. "How about this then: if Maya and I ever get to see Fairy Tail, _if..._ I'll ask Maya out. If we don't, you will have to tell Dragneel you love him, and you will never back down from getting him again."

Lucy nearly dropped the entire bowl into the pan, her eyes bulging out in shock at his suggestion. He rolled his eyes at her dramatic reaction.

"Chill. It's not like you haven't said it before," he stated dully, raising an eyebrow. Lucy didn't exactly know what to say.

After a few moments of silence and pouring more pancakes onto the current batch, Lucy smiled at Ivy.

"I have one condition. You can't back down from getting Maya either. Ever."

He seemed taken aback by the demand, but smirked despite the obvious pink tint in his cheeks.

"Deal."

The moment Lucy poured the stirred eggs onto another pan, a sleepy groan was heard not far from the kitchen entrance. She turned on her heels, a welcoming grin plastered in her face. Maya blinked, taken aback by Lucy being awake and Ivy smiling gently in her direction, but quickly jumped forward to squeeze the blonde tightly.

"Stupid Lucy!" she growled, and Lucy laughed breathily. "You had me worried, damn it!"

"I'm fine, Maya. Like Ivy told you, I was just exhausted," Lucy replied, returning the brunette's hug just as tightly. Maya nodded, and buried her face on Lucy's neck.

"Gods, I'm going to miss you when you go back to Magnolia, Luce."

Lucy froze abruptly at her words. Ivy eyed her with caution, frowning, and Maya immediately noticed the tension radiating from the girl. She pulled back an arm's length, studying her face worriedly. Lucy's body was solid, her eyes widened and mouth slightly parted, and had Maya not paid attention she would have missed the faint shivers rolling down the blonde's spine.

"Luce?" she whispered, tentatively. The trio forgot breakfast for a moment, as Lucy slowly sat on a chair with her hands over her face. She inhaled shakily.

"I'd completely forgotten about that."

Ivy crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't remember that you're supposed to be back in Fairy Tail after you finish training?"

Lucy shook her head, sighing heavily. She didn't feel ready to see them again, especially when Gajeel clearly stated that they didn't want her back. Maybe she should just stay with Ivy and Maya, in Dragon Claw, and forget about Natsu… No. She made a promise to Master, and as a Celestial mage, she always kept her promises. She'd go back.

But, she didn't want to go back. That was something she couldn't deny. She was downright scared—scared of the guild's reaction, scared of still being kept in the dark… scared of Natsu.

Maya was quick to note her inner quarrel, so she knew she had to voice that plan she'd been keeping for later. Lucy needed it. But first, she needed to remind her of the most important fact.

"Hey, you're still not finished training," she reminded, grinning. Lucy frowned, and Maya smirked. "You said it yourself. You want to train for as long as you can, and that doesn't imply just training with magic. Whatever happened to melee combat with Loke?"

Lucy looked up at Maya's cheery green eyes, and let a smile slowly stretch her lips. Ivy smirked, satisfied, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"And we're here to help, remember? I'm dying to fight with you," he said, grinning mischievously.

"You're not done here, Luce," Maya said, with that smile that reminded her so much of her favorite Fire mage. "and to prove that…"

She stuffed her hand on the pocket of her denim jacket, and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper. Lucy blinked, taking it and unfurling it.

_Powerful mages wanted to defeat a monster terrorizing a village in the outskirts of Onibus!  
Reward: 8,000,000 jewels and two powerful Celestial Silver keys._

Lucy gasped softly. 8,000,000 jewels?! She lowered the paper when she was done eye scanning it, and was met with a smirking Ivy and a grinning, jumpy Maya, who placed her hands on her hips confidently.

"We're going on a mission?" Lucy inquired, surprised, though her voice clearly showed her enthusiasm. Maya grabbed the paper, nodding fervently.

"And not just any mission!" she said, excitedly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked, suspicious. Ivy showed her a thrilled grin, and pointed at the bold, large 'S' she had stupidly failed to notice.

"We're going on an S-Class mission."

* * *

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUN. I wonder what awaits them there… (ahem, or WHO). Don't worry about Natsu's perspective, I know you want it, but you know I provide it when you most need it. Which is…**

**Anywho, I've realized some people think Lucy's overpowered, and even stronger than Makarov. Chill. Like KuroiAoiShishio suggested, there needs to be a 'c*** in the armor' and soon enough you'll see what kind of loophole I set for her.**

**As per usual, my request for you to REVIEW, and my threat to MELT YOUR BONES INTO ASH AND DUMP THEM IN THE NEAREST OCEAN if you don't. Ta-ta.**


	13. Gajeel and Natsu

**SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY. I had a few troubles going on, but here it is!**

* * *

It wasn't the same. That was pretty much as clear as a perfect diamond. Their lively and cheerful aura was definitely dead. There was no fighting, no loud screaming, no funny business going around. That only contributed to the guild's sorrow. It didn't look bright anymore—it emanated darkness. Not the bad kind of darkness, just a melancholic darkness. All thanks to a certain Celestial mage.

Gajeel raised a studded eyebrow at the guild's dejected mood. Mira was serving food and drinks without a smile. Gray wasn't stripping at all. Erza wouldn't even look at her slice of cheesecake. Wendy would just sit around and read books, books Levy claimed to be of Lucy's possession. That mourning behavior was downright pitiful.

Speaking of pitiful—Natsu. Whenever he came to the guild, he only hung around Happy, and didn't even smile or talk. He didn't get near his team, or Lisanna for that matter. He just sat on a booth, forehead on his crossed arms, his hair hiding his emotions. Happy had stopped trying to cheer him up long ago. It was no use.

Gajeel knew. He knew why the brat went on a lot of missions. To search for her. He always left in a hurry, only showing Mira the slip of paper noting the mission and leaving without a word to anybody. Gajeel knew it was an excuse to search for his girl because he always came back looking worse than he had ever before.

And Levy. The bookworm was terrible. After all, she was her best friend and felt incredibly stupid and guilty for ignoring the blonde. Most of her time at the guild was spent reading books, books, books and more books, as a distraction, to not think about how greatly she missed her. Gajeel could only be with her when she cried.

By now, speaking the mage's name was a taboo. Nobody spoke of her, let alone mentioned her. No one dared, fearing the sadness that would come and, more importantly, the possibility of Natsu's rage. Or his tears.

Gajeel could only watch as Fairy Tail dearly regretted the absence of their Celestial mage, even if he knew of her situation and how she was doing at the capital. Sort of. And he wasn't going to blurt it out. They all deserved it. They ignored her for just a girl that came back. She may have been back from the dead, but tossing Lucy to the side was pushing over the limits. And Gajeel knew how to punish them.

"Keep them in the dark, huh?"

Laxus raised an eyebrow as he said it, eyeing Gajeel cautiously. The Iron mage just stared at him, arms crossed and almost always present scowl in his face. Laxus then smirked slightly, tinged with what seemed amusement and quite a bit of cruelty.

"I couldn't agree more," he said. Gajeel huffed in agreement.

He had approached the Lightning Dragon Slayer, intending to tell him and only him of bunny girl's whereabouts and situation. He was quite surprised and impressed with the details of her new abillities, but had shrugged it off to keep cool, even despite his obvious relief when knowing the blonde was alright. After all, both guys and perhaps Wendy had been the ones to acknowledge her presence, making sure she wasn't entirely alone.

"Serves them right," Gajeel huffed, and turned, leaving without further ado.

They all deserved it. Sure, he wasn't all that close to her, but he just knew Fairy Tail deserved some taste of their own medicine. He hated to keep it from Levy, but he knew she'd stand out too much, and people would start annoying him with questions.

Gajeel began munching on a small piece of metal, as he sat in the same booth as Levy, who was yet again engrossed in a novel. Gajeel contorted his lips, straightening himself in his seat.

"When are you ever goin' to drop the books and start doing missions again?" he inquired. The little bluenette cringed slightly at his question.

"You know when."

Gajeel answered with silence, crossing his arms over his chest as he scanned the mood of the guild with his eyes. Just as dreary and dark as usual. It made him feel somewhat annoyed.

"I won't feel at peace until I know she's safe," she whispered, afraid to be heard. Gajeel raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell makes you think bunny girl isn't safe?" he inquired. "She can damn well take care of herself."

"Yes, but still," she insisted, and finally put her book aside. "She's not with us."

Her eyes were glimmering with tears again and her lower lip was trembling, as she fought the incoming tears. Gajeel momentarily forgot his resolve, frowning.

"But she's safe."

Levy's head went up like a spring at that comment, and Gajeel flinched. Well, shit, he just blew up his cover.

"What do you mean she's safe?" she asked, her tone a bit too loud. "Do you know anything, Gajeel?"

He didn't answer, only to aggravate Levy's worry and anger. She started glaring at him.

"Gajeel!"

Silence. That was the last straw. Levy jumped from her seat violently, and slammed her hands on the table for the whole guild to hear and turn their heads at. Her tears were falling now, and her brown eyes held the uttermost worry and panic, with a visible hint of anger.

"Gajeel, I will only ask you one more time," she spoke loudly, the words echoing in the sudden silence of the hall. "Do you know where Lu-chan is?!"

The words hung in the air like a death sentence, before most of the people in the hall harshly halted their behavior and stood up to approach Gajeel and Levy. Gajeel narrowed his eyes. Oh, it was his fault alright.

"What is she talking about, Gajeel?!" Cana inquired, glaring at him.

"You saw Lucy? When?" Erza demanded. Gray wasn't far behind.

"How is she?!" he asked, narrowing his eyes in both suspicion and worry.

Gajeel tsk'ed at all of them, glaring for the whole guild to see.

"She's alive and she's not in danger. That's all you need to know."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" Gray spat, fistening his hands. "She's a member of Fairy Tail! She's our family!"

"Didn't seem like it five months ago," Gajeel answered crudely.

Gray was about to go on a rampage, seething with anger and mistrust for Gajeel's words, before a certain fire mage slowly stood up from his seat. His pink bangs shadowed his eyes in an eerie way, and the aura he gave off was enough for Gray and the others to step back, other than Gajeel.

"You saw Lucy?" he asked, in a quiet, monotone voice. Gajeel raised an eyebrow.

"No freakin' duh. 'S pretty clear now."

For once, Natsu remained silent at his sharp tone, still glaring at the ground behind his salmon locks. Happy wasn't enjoying this side of his foster father, and moved to Charle's side. Finally, Natsu looked up from the ground. Everybody flinched. His eyes were dangerous slits, resembling a dragon's furious glare, as he stared at Gajeel.

"Why didn't you bring her back with you?" he asked, hissing, almost growling. Gajeel now glared at the pink haired pyro, unafraid as always.

"Unlike you brat, I respected bunny girl," he cleared, and smirked. "And as payback for what you did, I told her you're glad she's gone."

The sudden gust of wind that kicked the guild's front doors open described Natsu's reaction quite well. Most of the guild was shocked and some were grossed out at the Iron Dragon Slayer's words, uncapable of forming words that illustrated their reactions.

"Why… why the hell would you do that?" Gray breathed, frustrated and angry at the same time.

Gajeel didn't even have time to reply. Natsu's enflamed fist had cut his words short and sent him crashing to a couple of tables and chairs on the other side of the hall. Nobody moved, watching the fight between the Dragon Slayers unfurl in silence. Gajeel grunted, jumping to his feet after dusting out his clothes, as Natsu approached him. He wasn't spouting off nonsense or even throwing a tantrum. That was what scared Master Makarov the most. It meant Natsu was truly mad.

Gajeel dodged the incoming punch from the Fire mage, and took the chance to hit him square in the jaw with his Iron Club. Natsu went staggering to the floor, but the way his animalistic eyes and fiery aura burned as he stood up only had Gajeel realize the brat was positively considering murder. Their fists collided, and the fight kept going.

"Why…?" Levy suddenly sobbed, breaking the silence. "Why would he say something so awful to Lu-chan?"

Laxus raised an eyebrow, watching the drama unfurl in his dark corner. He wasn't sure he could answer Levy's question. To him, it was practically rhectorical.

"You seem different, Laxus."

He snorted at Mirajane's comment, and fixated on Natsu and Gajeel's battle. He wouldn't dare say it aloud, but the way the pyro's eyes were wild with feline green had shudders run up his spine. No one ever taunted Natsu whenever he had that look.

"Do you know something?" Mira kept asking, in a tone that was not hers. It was low and like a whisper, as if she was constantly lost in her own thoughts. "Something you share with Gajeel, perhaps."

Screw her and her perceptive gift. Of course that demon would notice something was up.

"You're all asking the wrong question," he stated, bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Evergreen suddenly cut in, who had been close, with the Thunder God tribe. Laxus shrugged.

"You're asking why Gajeel would say that to blondie," he said. "He's got a reason."

"What reason?" Mira asked. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.

"That's up to you all to figure out."

Mira glared at him, her lips pursed.

"Why aren't you helping?" she muttered. He raised an eyebrow at her, and let out a boomering laugh that startled the whole guild.

"_I'm _not helping?" he said, loud enough for Gajeel to hear. The Iron mage snorted at his sarcastic remark, knowing fully well why he was so taken aback by Mira's accusation.

"Suddenly _we're _the ones not helping," Gajeel deadpanned, and ducked to avoid Natsu's Fire Roar. "The _irony._"

"What are you talking about?" Erza demanded, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

Gajeel gritted his teeth, and decided he was about done. Glaring at the incoming fist from Natsu, he escaped it, to painfully grasp a handful of his salmon hair and consequently stopping him from fighting him. Natsu winced at the pain, glaring at Gajeel with those perilous slits in place of his usual black eyes. The Iron mage couldn't care less about his anger, the glare motivating him to pull at his hair tighter.

"Think, you son of a bitch," he barked, shaking him with his hand. "**Think**. Before you realized Bunny Girl was gone, when was the last time you talked to her?"

Natsu must have been so furious to the point of not registering a word of what Gajeel had asked, and slipped out of his sharp hand, kicking him hard in the chest. However, the rest of the guild had clearly heard his question. Gray frowned, slowly taking in the truth of it, as Erza crossed her arms in deep thought. Levy was the first one to react.

"Oh Mavis…" she breathed, and turned to stare at her far left. The Take-Over mage sighed, nodding.

"It's my fault," Lisanna admitted quietly.

Everyone stopped on their tracks, including Natsu. He froze, his fist scarce inches away from Gajeel's scowling face, and slowly turned to her. His eyes were still much like a hungry lion's stare—or dragon—but they now sported a hint of confusion. She pressed her lips together tightly.

"When Team Natsu and all of you decided to suddenly catch up with me, what did you do with Lucy?" she asked the inevitable question. It was to everyone's surprise that her voice had a tinge of anger and disappointment.

"We…" Gray trailed, his eyes slowly widening in realization. "Oh, no…"

"We didn't…" Erza finished, her shoulders slumping in shock and guilt as she closed her eyes. "I never thought I'd do such awful thing, especially to Lucy."

"It's our fault," Levy summarized, burying her face in her hands.

Laxus eyed the mages that slowly faced the undeniable truth, only to scowl slightly at Natsu's bewildered expression. Deciding he should follow Mira's 'advice', he walked towards the pyro with crossed arms and a glare. Gajeel stepped back, watching Laxus lean forward to be in the same height as Natsu's.

"When you were spending time with Lisanna and your team, where was blondie, Natsu?" he asked. "Where was Lucy?"

Natsu blinked, his eyes returning to that shade of black as he finally came to his senses and processed the truth behind Laxus's question. The Lightning mage's lips twitched.

"She wasn't with you. For three months, you forgot blondie was your best friend."

Laxus turned abruptly from a wide eyed Natsu, heading to the stairs that lead to the second floor.

"Face it, Natsu. It's your fault she's gone," he said, while leaving the overwhelmed guild.

Fairy Tail watched as a teary and dull eyed Natsu slumped onto a chair, staring at the ceiling without being able to conjure words. This time, Lisanna dared to approach him, Happy right behind her. She took a seat across Natsu, eyeing him with both sadness and frustration in her azure eyes. His eyes fluttered shut, lips parting.

"Why do I feel so lonely and empty?" he suddenly whispered, in an uncharacteristically broken voice. "Why do I feel so… _heartbroken_, about… Lucy being gone?"

Lisanna smiled softly, petting the ears of a sad Happy. Ironic.

"Because what you feel for Lucy isn't just friendship," she explained, and leaned forward. "Natsu, there are certain degrees of love. The love you feel for Lucy… isn't the same you feel for me, per say."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he muttered, confused. She smirked.

"You know all that romantic, boyfriend and girlfriend crap?" she asked, to which he nodded, "Picture yourself and Lucy in such relationship."

Natsu blinked twice, slightly caught off guard, but shrugged and obeyed. Holding hands with Lucy. Hugging Lucy. _Kissing _Lucy. Calling her his girlfriend – and calling himself her boyfriend. Lucy whispering those three words in his ear. Lucy kissing his neck, his hands drifting south, his name rolling off her lips in such a way that shudders went up hi – he had to stop there because Lisanna was smirking at him for blushing a shade of red darker than his fire, or even Erza's hair.

"By that tomato red in your face I bet you've reached a conclusion," she declared, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"I'm…" he breathed, "I'm in love with Lucy."

That was it. How could he have _forgotten_ it? He had always cherished her in that sense, had always known that what he felt for her went beyond friendship. He suddenly remembered the times he had to refrain himself from telling her, from sweeping her off her feet with a kiss. He had always been afraid of ruining their partnership, and had always known that Lucy did not return his feelings.

How on fucking Earthland had he forgotten that? _How_?!

"You're in love with Lucy," Lisanna repeated, almost approvingly. Natsu's lips twitched, as he placed his arms behind his head.

"I knew that," he muttered. "I've felt this way about her for a long time, now."

That faint smile of his suddenly died, replaced by a tasteless frown.

"I don't understand how I could forget that. And, to make it worse, she's gone," he stated, dryly, jaw hardening. "She'll never know."

When the chance he had so longed for appeared, he suddenly forgot her existence. He felt like crying. Why in the world had that happened?

Lisanna smiled widely, her eyes narrowing with kindness as she touched his shoulder. He yanked his head up.

"Then bring her back. Bring her back and tell her, Natsu."

He eyed her for a moment, taking in her words. That was something he already knew he had to do. Bring back Lucy. But now, with this whole epiphany, he had a new purpose behind that mission. And it only made him crave for her return even more. To finally tell her his feelings. To tell Lucy Heartfilia that he, Natsu Dragneel, loved her from the very bottom of his heart. He guessed it was supposed to sound off to him, since it was so cliché, but he found that he didn't. Because it was the absolute truth. That was merely the truth of what he felt for Lucy.

And now that he knew his feelings were reciprocated, there was no way he was letting her go.

He had to find her. He _would _find her.

"Happy," he called, suddenly standing from the booth. The Exceed followed suit, blinking in curiosity as Natsu began walking towards the guild doors.

"Natsu? Where are we going?"

He halted, turning on his heels, and Happy couldn't help but start crying when seeing his face. Natsu was smiling. That signature grin of his was drawn to his lips and his dark eyes gleamed with that hint of mischief he always possessed, and Happy couldn't be… _happier_.

"We are going to find Lucy."

Happy blinked for a second, the tears running down his cheeks, before he nodded frantically and squeezed the Fire mage in a tight hug as a grin of his own went up his face.

"Aye!"

* * *

**I'm sorry that Fairy Tail POV chapters are short, but that's what my head allows me to write. Don't worry, you'll be seeing how they're doing through the story… or maybe something else. Gihi.**

**REVIEW.**


	14. Of Quests and Novels

**Another reasonably short chapter... but I promise the next ones are going to be truly satisfying. Whether it's related to NaLu moments or just longer, I don't know...**

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_This is not a good idea, this is not a good idea._

This was definitely not a good idea. Going on an S-Class mission? Not a good idea. Going on a mission out of the capital? Not a good idea. Going on a mission that happened to be _way_ too close to Magnolia? Freakin' bad idea.

"Maya," Lucy said harshly, gritting her teeth as they rose from their booth in the guild hall, "Master Danny clearly said I'm not allowed to leave the capital, and so are you two!"

"We'll be back before he even notices!" she reassured, waving her off. Lucy growled.

"We'll be _brought _back by Master before _we _even notice!"

"Keep it down, you two, you're starting to draw attention," Ivy hissed, glaring at the pair of girls. "And Lucy, relax."

"You too, Ivy? Argh, are you kidding me?!" the blonde groaned. "Am I the only one with common sense here?!"

"I have common sense—" Ivy placed his hand on Maya's mouth before she could make a snide comment, "—and I think this is good for us. We've been wanting adventure for years and now that we finally get a job request like this there's no way I'm letting it go. Besides, it's perfect to test your new magic, Lucy."

"The S-Class mages will notice it missing from the S-Class request board," Lucy retorted stubbornly.

"We have no S-Class request board, we place all of the requests in one board," Ivy said dryly, to which Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Yes, we're _that_ poor."

"And _that _powerful, powerful enough to defeat this monster. Come on, Luce, a little adventure doesn't hurt!"

"I've had plenty of adventures back in Fairy Tail, any more and I'll go insane," she muttered. She half expected them to be slightly offended by the comment, but that wasn't the case.

"Well then, it's time for some Dragon Claw adventure," Maya countered, pouting. "Come on!"

"No."

"Come on, come on, come _oooooon_."

"Maya…"

"Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on—"

"ALRIGHT, FINE!"

"You mean it?!" she asked, bouncing on feet and grinning widely. Lucy scrunched up her nose.

"On one condition. Let's not go _now_."

"Huh?"

"I mean," Lucy began, sighing, "let's do other jobs before we do this one. Simpler jobs. And then, only _then_, we can take this S-Class quest."

"Sounds reasonable," Ivy agreed, nodding his head. Maya however, had a growing pout in her face.

"Not to me. Regular jobs aren't as fun as S-Class quests!" she whined.

"Exactly, because S-Class quests are all about fighting and spitting out blood, and that's not fun at all!" Lucy retorted.

"I beg to differ," Maya huffed. Ivy rolled his eyes, poking her left temple.

"Depends on the situation, moron."

Lucy slammed a slip of paper on Maya's face before she could start a brawl with him, glaring at the pair of Dragon Slayers.

"That job is a simple job in the capital. They want us to catch a few bandits that have been stealing jewelry from stores, they're not even mages. We get 30,000 each if we catch them."

"When do you think we get it done?" Ivy questioned. She shrugged.

"Hopefully by tomorrow, or even tonight, my landlord is complaining about my monthly rent and I'm running short on jewels. I'm counting on you guys," she said, effectively pouting as cutely as she could to persuade them.

She inwardly thought about what Natsu and Happy's reaction would be. They'd probably blink at her, and then laugh out loud, rather labelling her pout as a face not so pleasant to look at.

Maya and Ivy actually surprised her by widening their eyes and sighing in defeat.

"Don't do that, Luce, it makes me want to give you a lollipop and squeeze you silly," Maya said, gaining a face quite similar to the one Mira would make in her childhood—the one she made when young Natsu started crying. Lucy blinked, thinking _why on Earthland had she remembered that_.

"Did I ever tell you you're pretty damn cute? Well, there," Ivy said, smirking. Lucy knew he was just complimenting her, as she knew who he truly was after, and smiled. Even through the pink in her cheeks, the smile was wide and and hinted with pride.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Silver."

"You're welcome. Now," he said, roughly stealing the job request from Maya's hands, "let's get it over with and do this job."

They ended up doing three regular jobs, much to Maya's dismay. The first one, to catch those bandits, wound up to be tricky. They were fast, and hid well in the night, so their choice to split up hadn't been the wisest. Lucy was the only one capable of conjuring light to her eyes (how she had done that with Venus Lucem was still a mystery), so she had found two bandits and captured them easily. Ivy and Maya were not so lucky. Due to the moon being completely concealed by the dark clouds, the night was of a pitch black. If they hadn't put their Dragon Slayer senses to a use, it would have been impossible to tell where the criminals were at.

After handing in nearly fifteen criminals, Lucy insisted they went on another job. Maya would have complained (Ivy wasn't really bothered), but Ellia had already registered the job as taken and she didn't have a say in it. This one was slightly harder, since the people they had to catch were mages. Yet, they caught them without any major problem, though Maya should have really toned down the violence. She destroyed nearly as many buildings Natsu would have, and her reckless behavior took its toll on their reward. Instead of earning 80,000 jewels, they earned just as much as they had on their first job. Lucy glared at the poor girl through all the way home.

And then the third one, surprisingly suggested by Ivy. Maya had dramatically stated he was joining the dark side (which had made Lucy glare and pout at the same time), but he merely brushed her off and began explaining the job. This one was specifically, and secretly, requested by Princess Hisui herself. Apparently, she wanted a very rare rose from within the Forest Groove, a very exquisite one. They asked why she wanted another flower when the gardens of Crocus were packed with beautiful ones already, but she had simply smiled, and said that one more wouldn't hurt.

Well, it wouldn't hurt _her_. Lucy had found the reason behind those 130,000 jewels as a reward—the rose was in a very secluded area of the forest, which happened to be surrounded by dangerous looking felines and she had to fight every single one of them to get the rose. It was worth the exhaustion though, the rose was very beautiful. It was of an unusual green color, flawless and vivid, resembling the shades of a jade. _Hisui_, Lucy had remembered, smiling. They carried the rose carefully back to the palace, and when the princess saw the blonde with the precious rose tucked in her fingers, she gasped in awe and thanked her over and over again.

"This rose," Lucy had began, smiling, "this is one of the rarest roses in Fiore, Jade Sprout, right?"

Princess Hisui smiled in appreciation, nodding.

"This is the rose I've always wanted. It's not by accident that my name is Hisui. This was my late mother's favorite flower, and I wanted to have one in her memory."

Lucy smiled when she took her hands in hers, thanking her again, and the trio left the palace with a handful of cash and a special discount voucher for Lucy, Hisui sheepishly calling it a way of making it up to her. Fighting dangerous, leopard looking creatures had its advantages.

Now, the blonde was _innocently_ looking up from her (in process) novel, in the middle of Dragon Claw's crowed hall, and facing a furiously glaring Maya and a scowling Ivy with his right brow up. In the brunette's right hand was a crumpled job request, which Lucy didn't fail to notice to be the S-Class quest she had promised to accompany them on. She gulped.

"Okay, Luce, we've done _three _regular jobs. Now, can we _please _go and defeat this stupid monster?" she whined, waving the paper in front of her like a maniac. Lucy stared at Ivy, silently begging the man to help her out. He puckered his lips, as if deep in thought.

"Sorry, blondie," he said, shrugging with his signature smirk. She moaned in defeat, and let her head hang low on her knees.

"Why are you so keen on avoiding this mission anyway, Luce?" Maya asked, and then frowned. "Is it because… it's so close to Magnolia?"

At how Lucy flinched, Ivy guessed Maya had just struck a nerve. Lucy kept silent, merely nodding as answer.

"Relax, then. We're going near Onibus, not Magnolia. Heck, we're going to chase it through the forests nearby, no need to worry," Ivy reassured.

"Yeah, it'll be fine, Luce. Nothing bad will happen."

"I know that," she said abruptly, and sighed. "I just… ah, I'm done worrying. When's the next train leaving?"

Maya furrowed her brow in confusion, before she jumped high in the air with her hands up and silly looking grin in her face. Ivy and Lucy had to laugh at her childish antics.

"YES!"

* * *

When the three boarded the train for Onibus, the night was dark and awfully silent. The sight of the cloudy skies through the window of their booth only cooperated with the jitters Lucy was getting from the mission flier. She pursed her lips, rereading the information and attempting to refocus over the loud racket a few kids were making on the other side of the train, playing some sort of game of tag regardless of the late hours. Lucy ended up sighing, still not liking the idea of doing this mission.

"Are you alright, Luce?" Maya called softly.

"Are _you _alright?" Lucy asked, surprised. "Don't you have motion sickness?"

"Nope. Since the element Earth tecnically has healing abillities, I'm not really affected."

"What about Ivy?"

"He has a special pill he took before he boarded," she explained. "I maintain my question. You look frustrated. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I guess. I'm just a little nervous, I've only done an S-Class mission once and it was because Natsu dragged me along."

"But haven't you faced worse, from those adventures you've told us?" she insisted.

"Huh… I think I have. Maybe I'm really getting worked up for nothing," Lucy said, furrowing her brow.

"That's the spirit. Come on, it'll be fine! With your Celestial Caster magic and your new fighting skills, I bet you could even take on one of the Tenth Saints."

The blonde's eyes went abruptly wide.

"Oh no. I'll be pushing up daisies if I ever try that."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Sorry, _midget_, but I'd rather not die at the tender age of seventeen. Almost eighteen…" she muttered, faking a horrid grimace. Maya puckered her lips with a raised brow, torn between wanting to rip her head off for calling her midget and laughing at the ridiculous face she was displaying.

"Never call me that again and I'll drop the subject."

"Deal," Lucy said, smirking slightly.

Both girls allowed silence to wash over the mood, and Lucy took the opportunity to grab her novel, with a pen already in her hand. Maya saw her intentions, and decided to keep quiet. Lucy read her last few entries, leaning her chin on her palm as she worked words in her head and willed them to come out as beautifully as she always endeavoured. Maya eyed the blonde mage curiously as her face contorted in what seemed concentration and frustration. Her green eyes squinted to read the charcoal words on top of the page faced in her direction.

"That your novel?"

Lucy glanced up, only to stare back at the pages with her hand already writing what her mind had conjured to describe the scene in picture.

"Yes. Second attempt, though, I threw away my first half written novel," she said.

"Why?"

Lucy shrugged half-heartedly.

"The way I wrote back then was not as smooth as my current way of writing, and the plot was simply childish and cliché," she explained in an unheeding voice, as she furiously poured words and adjectives onto the paper.

Maya scrunched up her nose, crossing her arms. Her eyes settled on the swiftly moving pictures outside the window, darkened by the somber sky.

"You should have kept it."

It was Lucy's turn to frown.

"Why?"

"It was one of the first steps you took to become a writer, right? You should have kept it as a reminder of your mistakes and how you should fix 'em."

Lucy blinked, and nibbled on the end of the pen.

"Didn't think of that…"

The pregnant silence was back again, and this time the kids in the back row had decided to keep quiet. Perhaps already tired from playing so much during the past few hours, and Lucy couldn't blame them. They had even pressured Maya to play with them, which the brunette had easily complied, and Lucy and Ivy were left watching the bunch with amused stares and common laughs.

Lucy shook her head with a soft smile, briefly eyeing Maya, before she returned to the ongoing work in her hands. It was actually getting good. What had inspired her was beyond her knowledge, but she blessed it to no end. Writing always made her forget about all worries and dilemmas. It was like music. It swept her off the face of Earthland.

She stopped writing for a moment, admiring her handiwork with a small smile.

_Lynette eyed the target that stood hanging a few feet away, pulling the tight string of her makeshift bow close to her cheek. She inhaled, pressing her lips together, and loosened her hand, allowing the arrow to fly towards the target at the speed of light. A small rush of pride washed over her when it hit dead in the center, but she kept her face firm and stern._

"_What's your trick?"_

_The princess turned to the source of the voice, bow taut in her hand as reflex, but sighed in relief at the familiar sight of Niall's tousled scarlet hair and piercing orange eyes. He looked amused, grinning with a raised eyebrow. She mimicked his brow gesture._

"_My trick?"_

"_You've been with us barely over a month and you are already a skilled archer. How do you do it?"_

_Lynette shrugged, preparing another arrow as the hybrid dragon approached her in slow steps. She pulled the string once again to her cheek, feeling his presence inches away, and fought to keep her breathing steady. She always lost sense of thought whenever he was too close, and she hardened her grip on her bow as response to the conclusion in her head. Her cheeks were already heating up, and a scowl took over her face._

"_Hey, you okay?" he asked quietly, his breath fanning over her ear. She struggled not to shiver._

"_Yep."_

_She loosened the string, feeling relief when the arrow hit the target where she wanted it to. Niall whistled, and she turned to face him. She nearly regretted it—he was close, so painfully close, and he didn't realize the effect it had on her._

"_You're getting good… getting more like a survivor, and less like a princess. Wild, ferocious," he said, smirking, and moved his hand to brush a strand of golden hair from Lynette's pale cheeks._

_He stared directly into her forest green eyes, making her cheeks go red and her heart go berserk. His smirk prevailed as his other hand snaked around her waist, bringing them even closer, which was proven possible as contrary to what Lynette believed._

"_Maybe you've been spending too much time with me."_

"This is great stuff…"

Lucy squeaked, jolting in her seat at Ivy's sudden voice near her ear. For a moment there she feared her novel would fan out on the floor, but gladly she caught herself before the papers could slide farther down her curled hands.

"Since when have you been awake?!" she hissed. He moved from behind her, plopping down on the seat next to her.

"Just five minutes ago. You seemed so out of it though, focused on those papers, so I thought I'd check it out," he explained, and eyed her curiously. "Did you write this?"

She cleaned her throat, nodding. He raised his brow, clearly impressed.

"This is very good, Lucy. I think you should get it published when it's done."

"You really think so?" she asked, smiling. He nodded, grinning.

"Yes, I do. Though you do realize the way you describe Niall reminds readers somewhat of You-Know-Who? No, scratch that, Niall is basically him."

Lucy blushed faintly, and nodded, storing away her novel.

"I may have created Niall using a few bases from Natsu…"

"_May_?" Ivy teased. Lucy rolled her eyes, laughing softly.

"Shup up, Mr. Silver."

"Make me, blondie."

She ignored the nickname. "Pushing aside novels and Fire mages, what are we going to do when we get to Onibus?"

"We'll speak to the job requester first, naturally, and see what kind of downfall awaits us."

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"That's it? No studying this mighty beast?"

"That's part of what the job requester has to tell us. Once we are filled with reasonable information, we'll set out to look for the beast after planning for a bit."

She merely pursed her lips as an answer. She had dealt with an S-Class mission before, as she had previously stated, yet couldn't help but feel a revolting cocktail of emotions spiraling in her mind. Courage, panic and fear were part of the mixture. Something about this job made her uneasy. Lucy had the severe fear at the pit of her stomach that this was all going to go downhill.

* * *

**Knowing me, yep, it's probably going downhill, Luce. But you'll never know unless I keep writing this fic. Which I will. Probably. Putting that aside, tell me what you all think of Lynette and Niall.**

**Needless to say, REVIEW. You know I can punish you if you don't. Like… taking three months to update. Hmn.**


	15. Bloodthirsty

**DUN DUN DUUUN. Also, sorry for the delay.**

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For once in his life, Natsu regretted missing a train.

When it came to jobs, he would be more than happy to walk to the destination of the deed waiting to be done, but trains were crucial for this specific job. Because, first of all, he hadn't really known where to start, or how to start for that matter. He simply packed what he normally did for jobs, though this one required a different kind of luggage and, needless to say, concentration.

Because searching for the whereabouts of Lucy Heartfilia were more important to him than defeating a bunch of scar eyed bandits or killing hideous monsters. Lucy was certainly a priority in that department.

Apparently, he wasn't taking that responsibility so well, for waking up late and missing the train he had chosen to board. That would definitely develop into a problem. He couldn't just walk around the whole country (he had considered it, though) of Fiore. Mavis, he didn't even know if she was still in the same country—a fact that had his chest clench in both frustration and panic. He wanted to find her as soon as he could, and his lack of punctuality and Happy's constant scoldings about it did nothing to help him on that mission. Natsu was already gnawing out his brains (he ignored Happy's sarcastic 'Natsu has _brains_!' with a scowl) by trying to figure out a map in his mind, crossing and circling any possible areas she might have passed or even be temporarily living in. Granted, Gildarts told him enough stories of his adventures around the country, so he knew how to guide himself around rather well. Though he thought Gildarts could have spared the details of his sexual conquests. Natsu was pretty sure he wasn't getting rid of that mental image for the rest of his life.

"Natsu, what are we going to do now?" Happy asked, breaking him out of his reverie. Natsu blinked, and stared at the train-less train station.

"I dunno, Happy," he muttered. "I don't even know where to start looking. I mean, she could be anywhere."

"Even Edolas?!" the blue Exceed squeaked, as if in the presence of a very bloodthirsty monster. Natsu was about grin at his joke, but the truth behind it suddenly dawned on him. Yes, she could be anywhere. If she could be living in another country… Natsu clenched his teeth.

"Even Edolas," he said, sighing softly. Happy noticed the sudden mood change, and sent an apologetic glance at the Fire mage, ears drooping in sadness.

"I'm sorry, Natsu, I didn't mean…" he trailed.

"I know, it's fine," Natsu reassured, and gave him the best grin he could at the moment. He only hoped it didn't come out as a pathetic grimace. "Where do you think we should start looking?"

Happy's ears perked up, and he crossed his arms. "Hmn, I don't know."

Natsu snickered silently, despite the situation. He'd always known they thought alike.

"You're the one that should decide, you've searched in a lot of places, right?"

Natsu grimaced for a second, feeling guilty. He didn't really want to be reminded of the time he even ignored his best friend and partner to just look for Lucy. Yes, he was excruciatingly worried about her and desperately wanted her back, but he shouldn't have ignored Happy. He groaned. It was a chain reaction. First it was him with Lisanna, and Lucy left out, and then (in a way) him and Lucy with Happy left out. He really needed to get himself together, this was… cruel, of him. He needed to be more focused on the way he acted to not let stuff like that happen again.

He cleaned his throat, glad that Happy hadn't brought the subject of his isolation to the surface.

"I've been north. She wasn't in any of the places, and I was in Kunugi, Clover Town…" he said, frowning. "She was nowhere to be seen. I asked people if they had seen her, but the answer was always no."

"Why not try south this time?"

"Hargeon?" Natsu thought aloud. "I guess we could give it a try."

"Hargeon it is!" Happy said excitedly, and Natsu grinned along. Perhaps she would be there, where they met. After all, she had said she loved h…

Natsu breathed in, to calm the waves of euphoria and nerves. He had millions of questions rumaging through his head. How was she? Was she in good hands? Had she changed? Did she meet new friends? Did she… meet someone? Did she still… did she still love him? He hoped her answer would be yes at the latter. He more than returned her feelings, and he wanted her to know that. He blamed himself for not realizing how she felt, but more importantly for not remembering how _he _felt. It was a fact. He was in love with Lucy and he intended to make her his.

"I really hope we find her soon," Happy suddenly said, on cue, as they approached the ticket booth. The Fire mage twitched his lips in a slight smirk.

"You and me both, Happy."

But then, something dawned on him as he stood in the line. Widening his eyes, Natsu nearly punched himself for being so clueless and stupid. Why hadn't he thought of it before?!

"I'm an idiot," he muttered, stepping away from the booth. Happy mused in the words.

"I couldn't agree more, but why are you saying that all of a sudden?"

"Because freaking iron jerk knows where she is! If I manage to get it out of him, we'll definitely find her faster!" he bellowed. "Scratch Hargeon, Happy, we're talking to Gajeel first!"

Natsu was running all the way out of the station before Happy could even react. The Exceed yelped for a second, and flew quickly over his side, both heading back to the town, namely the guild. Before Happy could even blink, they were bursting through the doors of Fairy Tail, creating a rather unnecessary racket of noise. Numerous heads perked up at the boastful entrance, except the one Natsu was in need of talking to. He ignored this, and strode headily towards the table with Levy, Lily and Gajeel. He slapped his hands on the table, consequently making Levy's book tremble in her hands and Lily's kiwi juice nearly topple over. The Iron mage stared at the irritated Dragon Slayer, studded brow raised and arms crossed in an obstinate manner.

"Where is she?" Natsu demanded, mimicking his arms. Happy had landed next to Lily, eyeing the scene with cautious eyes.

"Where is who?" Gajeel replied, mock-faced.

"Don't you fucking mess with me, you know who I'm talking about."

"I ain't good with riddles, Salamander."

Natsu slammed his fist on the table, startling Levy.

"I'm asking you, metal-freak: where is Lucy?!"

"And I'm telling you, firecracker: figure it out yourself!"

Natsu gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in bottled up fury, but remained stiff.

"You know, I have a very good reason to fucking beat you to a pulp and fucking feed you to the lions," he spat, glaring at Gajeel. "You kept the guild in the dark and you told the woman I love shit like I'm glad she's gone."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow at his way of addressing Lucy, even smirking for a moment, but Levy was a little startled by Natsu's manner of speech. The Fire mage was definitely not an intelectual and polite kind of person, but hearing him swear that much was surprising, even to Happy.

"But I'm holding myself back, for one reason: you know where she is. Tell me."

"Give me one good reason to do it."

Gajeel was waiting for a flip out, another burned table and Levy jumping away in hopes of escaping an incoming fight that would get Master to lecture them just as he had at the time he'd unintentionally spilled the beans. However, Natsu did the unexpected. He merely sighed, dragged his hands over his face, and fell heavily on a stool, gripping his salmon hair like his life depended on it. Levy caught the unusual gesture. Lucy had _that_ much of effect on him, that was clear. She eyed Gajeel sadly, sending him her thoughts through her eyes. The Iron mage growled a little, but if there was anyone he'd obey, it was her, even if begrudgingly. His scowl was followed by a sigh as he sat next to Natsu.

"And what will you do when you find her?" he asked, in an attempt to sound tentative. Natsu dropped his hands to his lap, and looked up at him, brows furrowed.

For a moment, he wanted to scream, 'Bring her back, you studded dolt!' but it sounded too selfish. What if Lucy had grown to like her freedom? What if she rather preferred to stay where she was and not come back, just as Gramps had assumed? But he didn't know what he'd do without her. He needed her, more than he would ever admit. And yet, he couldn't live with the thoughts of being the thief of her happiness. When he found her, he'd do the one thing he had to do. That was what she needed, regardless of everything.

"Apologize."

Telling her that he loved her? That depended on whether she still felt the same as when she wrote him that letter. If she didn't, he wouldn't burden her with his own feelings. He'd move on. Even if he_ couldn't_.

Gajeel seemed rather surprised. "That's it?"

"That's what I owe her," he said, a little coldly, and rather regretfully. The Iron mage deemed the answer good enough, it seemed.

"You might wanna check Crocus," he said, casually. Natsu's eyes widened.

"The capital?"

"Yup. So, get yo' ass outta here, fire harlot, and do what you promised. Now."

Natsu grinned, grabbing his knapsack and supplies, before he glared at Gajeel.

"Don't call me fire harlot, metal wench."

He and Happy were out before he could kick him in the gut.

* * *

"You are now in the town of Onibus. Thank you for travelling with us."

Lucy's chin levelled from her novel, eyeing the scenery of the station through the window. A spark of recognition washed over her, and she involuntary let her jaw drop.

"I've been here before! I was on a play requested by a very creepy guy who wouldn't stop saying 'thank you very much'. Ugh," she said, amused.

"A play? Was it good?" Ivy asked. The three were stepping out of the train and into the fresh air, luggage in hand.

"Not to me," she muttered. Maya snickered.

"So, now we talk to the job requester and then we go after the beast?" the brunette asked, a glimmer of excitement in her green eyes. Lucy eyed her warily.

"Easy there, sailor. First, we need a plan, and we have no information on this beast, so we can't just decide to punch its face and ask questions later."

"Because that is too much of a Natsu plan."

The three jumped slightly at Loke's unexpected intrudance. The Lion simply smiled roguishily at Lucy, who rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Just what are you doing here?"

"You think I'd let you face an enormous beast by yourself?" he questioned, almost offended.

"Dude, I'm feeling neglected over here," Ivy piped in, scowling.

"I second that," Maya said, and glared at the spirit. Loke merely smiled, shaking his head.

"I know she's in good hands," he assured, and turned to her blonde in question. "But I'd rather be here with you, alright?"

Lucy raised a pale eyebrow at him, slight smirk on her face. Behind it, though, Loke could see the relief and gratefulness she felt, and handed her a gentle smile in return. He received a roll of eyes from her, and the four began walking towards the plaza of the town in silence. Maya seemed to be ready to pop a joke, tongue at the ready, but the sight that awaited them cut her short in less than a second. They stopped abruptly, eyes widening.

Lucy was the only one brave enough to ask aloud, "What in the name of the Tenth Saints happened here?"

What they were seeing was dust and rocks in place of the once called town of Onibus. Every building had either collapsed or been destroyed, for the ground was nearly invisible under the pile of cracked concrete and pieces of broken walls. The houses and other buildings that had survived whatever had come at them were in an excruciatingly poor shape, falling apart by each second that passed, and not a soul seemed to be around. Lucy felt herself gulp audibly, and dropping her suitcase, she carefully approached the chaos of rocks and… blood?

"Oh sweet mother of Anna, are those… _bones_?" Maya hissed, suddenly next to her, as Tullip hovered over her head with horror struck green eyes. Ivy closed his eyes.

"Human bones."

"Oh, gods…" Lucy whispered. Her mouth was ajar, tongue tied in a knot as she caught sight of another display of atrocity tangled in the rocks.

"Please don't tell me that's…" Loke hissed, clenching his fists. Maya stepped back, and unconsciously clung to Ivy's arm as he gritted his teeth.

A human heart, surrounded by human flesh and rivers of scarlet. Lucy sucked in a breath, trying to steady herself, yet reckoned it did nothing but bring her another wave of nausea along with a stench of blood she'd never overcome in the future. Bile started rising in her throat, but she fought it bravely, and hopped over the red stained human remains with a stoic face. The others soon followed, and she could tell they were just as horrified as she was. And right now, Lucy swore she was living in one of her darkest nightmares.

"How horrifyingly powerful is this monster?" Ivy muttered, and Lucy tried her best to ignore the bubblish, hard noises their feet made as they stepped over concrete and human fluids splattered on the ground.

"I think Bloodthirsty seems to be a fitting name," Loke said, narrowing his eyes at the cruelty around them.

They spotted more and more human remains, but never any full body corpses. Consequently, more blood and wreckage came in, as they surveyed the status of Onibus. At each passing moment, Lucy began to realize of how dangerous this creature was, and in how deep of a mess they had gotten themselves into. She knew it right off the bat. She'd known something was going to go wrong, her instincts were screaming so at her, and she didn't listen. There was a tragedy awaiting them in this mission, she was sure of it.

"The question is: is the requester even still alive?" Maya asked, pouring realization into everyone's minds.

"That would be a disaster, we can't go around and face this monster without any knowledge. I mean," Ivy began, and gestured at the mess around them with an expression of disbelief, "if we don't want to end up like these guys. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to die."

"I'm with you on this one, for once," Maya claimed, frowning at their surroundings. "This beast sounds crazy. Normally, I like crazy, but this is… this is downright psychotic."

"And we need to end it before it reaches other villages and towns," Lucy said, and moaned. "I told you this was a bad idea. What a fine mess I'm in… _again_."

"Wandering around and shivering in fear will do nothing to defeat the monster. We need to find out if the requester is still alive, and if he's not, we'll get the information one way or another," Loke suggested, and no one opposed.

"Let's split up and try to find the requester. How does he look like, Ivy? Do you have any idea?" Lucy asked.

"No, and I'm guessing if we find the lucky ones that survived, the requester must be part of the group. If not, the ones that escaped must know something."

"Let's search for a while, and then meet up. This area is recognizable, the bridge is over there," Loke said.

Lucy nodded, and the group was divided. Walking on those shattered buildings and human body parts had nervous and sickening reactions spiraling in her stomach, proof of how much the situation affected her. Anyone would defend themselves by saying they'd seen worse, but Lucy couldn't. She _hadn't _seen worse. She remembered seeing some corpses in mission situations that Natsu had dragged her into, but she'd never experienced the sight of the insides of human remains. The ones she'd unfortunately seen were like corpses ready for their funerals, but this wrecked town was seemingly piling up with human blood, bones and flesh. Lucy felt her gut contort in a cry as she reviewed the images she saw in the plaza, but she merely kept hopping over the masses of scarlet drenched organs and bones, sporting tightly closed eyes and pursed lips while trying to fight the urge to vomit. What a _mess_. This beast sounded horribly worse than Deliora, maybe almost matching Acnologia. Regardless, she seriously hoped that assumption was wrong.

"Hello?" she shouted, moving some larger rocks to pass through. "Hello?! Is anyone alive out there?!"

Lucy was welcomed with silence. With narrowed eyes, she kept walking, occasionally shouting out that same question and never giving up hope. Her words always left her echos as response, only contributing to the eerie vibes the ravaged town was giving her. The silence that kept coming afterwards was almost deafening. Lucy just kept searching, seconds turning into minutes, minutes turning into hours, and the fear of her friends being in trouble eventually built up in her chest after wandering around that ruined place for three hours. Lucy stopped walking, eyeing the sunset with a ragged breath while fingering her side braid. Her hair had gotten significally longer—the smooth tuft of blonde at the tip nearly brushed over her waist, and the strands she stubbornly kept loose to frame her face rested on her bosom. She squinted her eyes at the sunlight burning through her eyes, and brushing away her—equally longer—fringe, she scanned her surroundings.

"Maya?" she called, reluctantly. When no one replied, she raised her voice a few octaves higher, panic seeping into it, "Maya, Ivy! Loke!"

When no one answered, she began walking again, eyes widening.

"Maya!" she shouted, and silence met her again. "Loke! Ivy!"

Lucy yelped when her foot got caught beneath a small pile of rocks, sending her face first onto the ground. She slammed her hands on each side of her head to stop the fall, and struggled to kneel, ignoring the slight burning in her scratched palms. She sprung to her feet, and without noticing the dust stains on her black jeans, she started to run as much as she could over the red stained rocks. Panic reburst in her chest as she kept moving. Had they gotten lost? Had they found anyone alive? Had they been caught by the monster? She tried hard not to think about the latter possibility, rather running frantically in attempts to catch a glimpse of her missing team.

"Maya, Ivy, Loke!" the blonde yelled to the skies. "Please, answer me!"

She stopped running, and threw her chin up, screaming as loud as her lungs permitted her, "MAYA!"

"Lucy!"

A wave of relief washed over her body like a comforting blanket. It had been faint, easily mistaken by imagination, but Lucy was sure it wasn't. She turned her head over shoulder, carefully eyeing the figure that approached her over the wrecks. She breathed a sigh when recognizing Maya's mane of chocolate brown curls brushing over the petite mage's hips. She looked starled and out of breath.

"You scared me!" Maya complained, leaning her arm on Lucy's shoulder. "We all called you and you didn't answer!"

"Same goes for you," she retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Putting that aside, did you guys find anything?"

"Yes, that's why we were calling you! Come on," she said, and pulling her wrist, she urged her into running again.

"Wait, what? You found survivors?"

"Yes!"

At her confirmation, Lucy started running faster. After moving quickly over more ruins and stepping over puddles of red—the amount of it was starting to worry her—she saw the two young men in the distance, Ivy standing with crossed arms next to a young girl with long, strawberry blonde hair, clad in a knee length—and rather ruined—white dress, and Loke kneeling over a crouched old man. The man seemed to be rocking back and forth, mumbling things she could not follow, his lips moving so fast and so silently.

"Hey!" Lucy called, as she and Maya got closer, their team mates glancing at her. "They're the survivors?"

"Yeah. This girl here says her name is Ruby, she looks okay, other than the fact that she's scared to death. Now, about this guy…" Ivy said, and eyed the wide eyed man with a wary expression.

"He's in shock, I'm guessing," Loke explained, and stood up to face Lucy. "He keeps mumbling 'big yellow eyes', 'sharp claws', and 'human blood bath'. The last one is clearly disturbing."

"Proof of how scary this beast is," Ivy said, inhaling slowly. "We're in for trouble."

"If even you, our S-Class mage escort, think we're screwed, then we _are _screwed," Maya commented, but she didn't sound playful. She looked frigthened, for a change.

"I did warn you," Lucy reminded, closing her eyes, "but I'm not going to lecture you now. I'm too busy thinking of a plan to find Bloodthirsty and kill it."

"Bloodthirsty?" Loke repeated, slightly amused. She shrugged, and smiled, despite the situation.

"You said it was a fitting name, didn't you?"

Loke chuckled breathily as a reply. Ivy tore his eyes away from the pair and faced the little girl, who was fiddling with her hands with panic plastered all over her face.

"My name is Ivy Silver, and like these three, I'm a mage. We're here to defeat the beast."

At the last bit of information, her honey yellow eyes went wider than they already had.

"No! You'll all die! Believe me, y—you're no match for that… that hideous monster! It slaughtered the whole population of Onibus without mercy!" she cried, her body shuddering as memories flashed in her eyes and sobs left her throat.

Lucy stepped closer to the child, before kneeling and taking her hands in hers in kindness. Loke smiled. Lucy had a way with children. Well, female children.

"Don't worry, we're strong mages. I promise we'll defeat the monster," she whispered, assuringly. "Can you tell me, are your parents with you?"

"N-No… they were… by the monster…" she stuttered, sniffling. Lucy embraced her when her crying got louder, hushing her softly.

"It's alright, your parents are okay. They're in heaven now, and you're safe with us, I promise," she murmured. "How old are you, Ruby?"

"I-I'm—" she hiccuped, and rubbed her left eye to wipe away the tears, "I'm six."

"Big girl, aren't you?" Lucy said, smiling. "And big girls are tough. Am I right?"

Ruby nodded repeatedly, sniffling and wiping her right eye with her left wrist—the one not clad in bandage—to prove Lucy's point in how she could be a grown up girl. The blonde smiled at the gesture, and tucked a strand of wavy hair behind her ear. Her thumb brushed over her tear stained, freckled cheek.

"I'll protect you, Ruby."

She gulped back more tears, nodding again.

"O-Okay."

Lucy gave her another smile, before she placed her hands on the child's lithe shoulders.

"And for that, can you tell me how the monster looks like and where it went?"

Ruby creased her brow. "Um, i—it was very, _very_ big and scary, with large teeth and scaly paws… but it also had fur, a pair of horns, and a tail. Oh, and his eyes were yellow! Like, golden yellow."

Lucy nodded, doing her best to not show any traces of fear in her reactions. "And do you know where it went?"

"Some men came back from the forest and I heard them say it went that way," she explained, and pointed her small finger in the forest's direction. "I think they said it was heading south of Onibus. They went after it, and never came back…"

"Some men?" Loke cut in. Ruby became shier with his interruption, and clung to Lucy with her head buried in her neck. The blonde blinked, before gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders and smiling sheepishly at her spirit.

"Were they villagers, Ruby?" she asked, softly. The child nodded. "Were they mages, like us?"

She shook her head.

"Probably already dead," Ivy muttered so that only her and Maya could hear, and gladly had the desired intention. Lucy couldn't help but agree with him in her mind.

"Wait, Bloodthirsty's heading _south _of Onibus?" Maya repeated. Lucy didn't quite catch why she sounded so alarmed, but then as a map drew itself in her mind, she could not hide her panic as much as she tried.

"We can assume it feeds on humans, as the remains in this town so prove it," Jack suddenly spoke, landing on Ivy's shoulder with inquisitive and worried eyes. "If it's leaving, it'll be to search for the nearest town. I'm ninety nine per cent sure it intends to… _feast_, once more."

Loke's breath hitched, his eyes widening as realization dawned on him, and Ivy gritted his teeth in anger and panic. Lucy just stared at the horizon, chocolate eyes wide and lips parted, but no words seemed capable of coming out. Even breathing was starting to become a complex mechanism for her.

Bloodthirsty was headed for Magnolia.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUUUUN. Again.**

**I have no comment for this, only that yes, Lucy and the rest are in a hell of a mission. Somehow… not as bad as you may think and yet possibly startling.**

**REVIEW! You know what I'll do if you don't. AND ALSO VOTE ON MY PROFILE: ROLI/STILI.**


	16. Revelations

**I'm spoiling you guys because this chapter is all Natsu. ENJOY IT, SWEETARDS.**

* * *

"Natsu… Lucy is okay, right?"

Natsu blinked, lifting his chin from his hand and moving his elbow from the armrest of his seat in the train. Wendy had casted Troia on him and had surprisingly worked, so he was blissfully immune to his motion sickness problem. For now.

"Of course she is, Happy. She's _Lucy_, remember?" he said, grinning at Happy. The Exceed grinned back.

Despite his own words, Natsu couldn't help but feel worry at his best friend's question. He had always trusted Lucy to hold on her own, that she was one stubborn mage that never gave up, but even knowing she was that strong, he couldn't help but always feel an impulse to protect her. When someone would say 'Lucy is in trouble!' he was the first already attempting to save her before anyone could react to the words. He hadn't known why he felt so protective of her.

"_You're in love with Lucy."_

Right. Now he knew. No, he remembered. Natsu almost laughed. He was protective of her not only because she was his best friend—he loved her. It wasn't just because she was one of his comrades, and he knew it. And now that he remembered what he truly felt, he only wanted to act even more protective towards her. And he felt almost… _possessive._ The main reason he was going after her was to apologize and know if she was coming back, but now that he thought of it… had she gotten herself a boyfriend?

"Natsu? What's wrong?" Happy suddenly asked.

The mage in question raised his eyebrows at him, as if the answer was obvious, only to realize he had been glaring at the window and clawing at the armrest through his reverie. Threads of smoke were starting to emerge from beneath his hands, the small flames erupting from the wood much too obvious to be ignored. Before he could look guilty, the burnt portion of the armrest slowly dissipated, almost as if the damage inflicted was being played backwards. Natsu furrowed his brow and turned his head to his left as he felt a new presence near him. There was a young man around his age, with dirty blonde hair sprouting off his scalp and dark eyes eyeing him warily. He wore an unbuttoned dress shirt of a red plaid pattern with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, to show a mark Natsu had never seen before, along with a black shirt underneath, loose jeans and white sneakers. The mark was of a snow white color, resembling what seemed a dragon.

_A guild mark? _Natsu thought, suspicious.

"Be glad it was me who found you and not one of the monitors," he said, slightly bitterly. Natsu glared at him, ready to throw a comeback, but the blonde mage's eyebrows went up all of a sudden. "You're Natsu Dragneel. From Fairy Tail."

It wasn't a question, but Natsu answered all the same, "Yeah, so?"

The man simply blinked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Peter Evans. Time Arc mage."

And that explained why the armrest was fixed.

"Here on a mission?" Peter inquired. Natsu tch'ed.

"None of your business."

"If you are looking for someone, it might be."

Natsu perked up at the words, narrowing his eyes. How did he…?

"Let's just say you're not the first Fairy Tail mage I've encountered. Well, personally you're the first, I just passed by the other one in my guild."

"Your guild?" Natsu repeated. Peter creased his brow.

"Confidential. Not a dark guild."

Natsu huffed.

"If it's so confidential then why'd you tell me in the first place?"

Peter's mouth squirmed, as if he was trying to surpress a smirk. "You seem too much of an idiot to even bother to try and look it up."

Natsu bared his sharp teeth at him, like a taunted feline, standing from his seat with his right hand aflame. Peter didn't seem quite fazed, however.

"Why you little—!"

"You're looking for Lucy Heartfilia, aren't you?"

He froze at the mention of the Celestial mage's name, hearing Happy gasp not far behind him. The Fire mage put out his fire, eyeing Peter with wide eyes and unclenched fists. He could not contain his overwhelming curiosity and worry over the revelation and stepped forward to seize the taller mage's shoulders in a violent manner. The gesture was not as effective as expected, for Peter merely narrowed his eyes at his proximity, emotionless.

"Do you know where she is?!" Natsu asked, surly. Peter raised an eyebrow at his rude approach.

"Why should I help you? I've just met you and you're glaring at me like I skipped the meat on your sandwich."

"Comin' from the one that called me an idiot!" Natsu spat, stepping back and glaring daggers at him. "Look, I need to find her. I gotta set things straight with her."

Peter raised an eyebrow yet again, obviously assuming there was a dark and violent intent behind the words. Natsu noticed it and shook his head repeatedly.

"I'd rather die than hurt her."

The blond remained silent, unwavering. Happy hovered between the two young men, facing Peter.

"Please, we really want to see her. We've been really mean to her and we want to apologize…" the blue Exceed whimpered, with pleading eyes.

Peter seemed to react at the words, but still held narrowed eyes towards Natsu. Now, he wasn't all that close to the young woman. All he knew was that a former Fairy Tail mage had entered Dragon Claw to help herself to jobs and, somehow, be given protection. He had only seen her from afar, a few hours before he had to meet up with one of his partners in battle. According to Master Danny, her name was Lucy Heartfilia and she was a Celestial mage who was keeping some distance between herself and her guild for anonymous reasons. And seeing Natsu—evidently recognizing his pink hair and Exceed from the Grand Magic Games—looking so distraught, boarded on a train to the capital, sparked some curiosity into Peter. Was he here on the search for that girl?

Apparently, yes.

Peter pursed his lips. "I'll repeat: be glad it was me who found you."

Just as the words left his mouth, the train began slowing smoothly, proof of their arrival. Peter glanced at the ceiling for a moment, Natsu mimicking him.

"You have arrived at the capital of Fiore, Crocus. We remind you to bring all of your luggage with you. Thank you for travelling with us."

Peter tilted his head towards the exit. "Follow me."

Natsu, for once, obeyed. He gathered his belongings and gestured for Happy to stay close and the three left the train, stepping into the open air. Peter was already walking to the right before Natsu could even ask him anything, and faintly hearing the sound of the train leaving, he followed the blond mage with a frown, Happy hot on his trail. He had a million questions to ask him about Lucy, but Peter seemed to be a man of few words and he hadn't made a good first impression to want some chit-chat with him. That said, the Fire mage stuck to following him, slightly scowling in the way and keeping his distance.

"Do you think he really knows where Lucy is?" Happy whispered, as they strode by a street filled with a mix of voices from the townspeople.

"Right now, he's our best chance," Natsu replied, yet he wrinkled his nose, suggesting he wasn't very pleased with the idea.

Peter turned right at that moment, stepping into an apartment lane with less people than the plaza had displayed. Natsu eyed the flats, remembering Lucy's old one back in Magnolia. He had been secretly staying there, going behind the landlady's back. He hadn't moved stuff there, obviously he had no intents of permanently living there, but it was where Lucy's scent felt the strongest. He sought sleep in her apartment because, as he laid on the ground with her duvet wrapped around his body and his nose buried on the fabric, it was as if she was right next to him, embracing him. The air became drenched in a cocktail of aromas, all of them Lucy related, and Natsu liked it. Called it his own personal heaven, even.

He was remembering himself of that because, he could swear, that same scent was lingering on a certain area in the lane. Natsu frowned, lips parting as he registered the familiarity of the smell, his dark eyes quickly widening as he was proved correct. A flowery aroma that was pinched by cherries, with a little touch of lavender and honey. Her shampoo, mixed with her own recognizable scent. It wasn't as strong as it should be as if she was nearby, just as if she had possessions of her own within reach. Natsu stopped walking.

"Where are we?" he inquired.

"In a residencial area of Crocus, though we're not where I want."

"But we're where _I _want," Natsu retorted, and started following the scent in heady, fast steps.

"Natsu! Where are you going?" He heard Happy question him, before feeling his presence next to him.

"I can smell her."

"Who?"

"Lucy."

Natsu started running, a bewildered Happy hot on his trail. Peter wasn't sure how to react, confused by the mention of smell. Remembering the common Dragon Slaying abillities, he turned the tables around and followed the Fire mage instead, finally understanding. Natsu lead them to a tall building, precisely an apartment, and went inside before anyone could say a word.

"Natsu?" Happy asked, confused.

The mage in question merely headed for the stairs, which he began climbing, his feet like a pair of arrows in motion. Happy was flying next to him just as quickly and Peter was seriously debating with himself on whether he should stay where he was or follow them up. If what Natsu had found was the girl's rented apartment, he reckoned he shouldn't be invading her privacy. Happy, however, noticed him stopping, and—already a few stairs up—glanced down at the Time Arc mage.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Peter shrugged.

"I bet my nails he found Heartfilia's flat. Wouldn't want to break into a girl's house."

"Eh, don't worry, she's used to it!" Happy replied, grinning, before he flew back up to Natsu's side.

Peter blinked, perplexed by the Exceed's comment. That raised a few questions, one of them on whether these two had _manners._

Natsu practically sprinted over the remaining steps, letting that familiar perfume guide him without resistance to a corridor with a few doors on each wall. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily through his nose. _There_, his mind screamed, and in quick steps, he was in front of a grayish door. He glanced at Happy, who had just arrived and was standing on the floor, before focusing back on the strong wafts of scent emanating from behind that door. With an uptight chest and a ragged breath, Natsu fiercely seized the metallic handle and singed the lock, allowing the door to burst open and smack against the wall soundly.

Empty.

No surprised gasps, no yelling for barging in, no Lucy.

Natsu's shoulders slumped heavily, his eyes closing in sheer disappointment. Happy's reaction wasn't better. His pointy ears drooped and his wagging tail was laid flat on the floor, as his eyes only saw an apartment without their Lucy. Natsu was the first to step forward, scanning the walls and belongings spread throughout the place. So far, there was nothing he could recognize as being Lucy's. Everything was tidy and sparkling clean, and above all, it was silent.

"Lucy?" Happy called, in a hopeful tone. As expected, there was no reply.

Natsu dropped his luggage on the floor, near a sofa and a coffee table, his eyes fixated on the scenery behind the large window. The whole city could be seen from this perspective. For a moment, a smile tugged at his lips. Lucy had chosen well, at least. If this was her apartment, that is.

_Had she gotten herself a boyfriend?_

Natsu gritted his teeth at the words in his mind, still in denial. No, she told him she loved him, that she wanted to kiss him breathless and passionately… she couldn't just tell him stuff like that and suddenly hook up with someone other than him. Still, she sort of had the right to find someone else. Someone who wouldn't just stop acknowledging her existence. Natsu had ignored her for three months, a fact that made him bang his head on a wall on an everyday basis as punishment. He owed Lucy an apology and he thought not even that would suffice for his actions.

Shaking his head, he walked forward, coming face to face with a wooden door. He opened it without hesitation, and the sight behind it made him breathe out of both relief and surprise. It seemed like a very ordinary bedroom, nothing to be impressed with and nothing interesting in it—except the brown belt with a whip attached and the set of blue clothes on top of the bed. Natsu grabbed the belt, feeling his chest tighten. It was hers. This whip was Fleuve d'Étoiles. Only her keys were missing from the loophole.

This was definitely her apartment.

"Natsu, is that…?"

The Fire mage tightened his hold on the belt and turned to face Happy, who was wide eyed and curious as he caught sight of the object in his hands.

"Yeah."

"But she's not here…" the Exceed said, saddened. Natsu didn't reply.

"Natsu-sama?" a familiar, emotionless voice echoed off the doorstep.

The Dragon Slayer looked up, only to freeze at the sight of a pinkette clad in a maid's outfit, staring at him with lightless blue eyes and a quizzical expression.

"Virgo!" he said, and narrowed his eyes. "Wait, if you're here—!"

"Princess isn't with me," she cut across, and eyed the belt in his hands. "I only sensed the lack of her whip on her and decided to bring it to her."

Natsu however wasn't in for talking. "Where is she?"

Virgo didn't answer. He glared at her, stepping closer to her.

"_Where is she?_" he repeated, almost menacingly.

"Princess has given me orders to not reveal information concerning her whereabouts."

Natsu growled, gritting his teeth. Of course Lucy would be smart enough to warn her new comrades and spirits to not spill the beans. Too bad she wasn't smart enough to know he would always find her, no matter what. **Always**_._

"Take me to her."

"I'm afraid that is not possible—"

He growled, the noise akin to a provoked cat, "Now look here—!"

"Natsu-sama," she interrupted, her tone surprisingly strict. Natsu stopped mid-sentence, his lips parted. He dropped the towering attitude, standing straight on his feet, but still sported a raised eyebrow in her direction.

"I suggest you do not anger me or my fellow spirits," she warned in an almost venomous tone, and without his consent, yanked the whip from his hands. "We may not be as forgiving as our Mistress."

"What?" he said, mouth ajar and brows creased. Exactly _what_ had Lucy told them?

Virgo merely stared at him, and he swore he could detect a hint of anger in her normally blank blue eyes.

"Us spirits have not forgotten what you've done to princess. Unless you have an excepionally good excuse as to why you've tossed our Mistress to the shadows, I'm afraid Aquarius will show you no mercy."

Before Natsu could reply, or even gulp, Virgo took hold of his wrist when Happy touched his right leg while shuddering in fear. In a flash of light, they were surrounded by walls no more. Instead, after Natsu regained sense of his sight, he could only see green and brown in a variety of forms, and hear sounds he'd only hear from his house back in Magnolia.

A forest.

"What was _that_?" Happy muttered, dizzyingly, while trying to balance himself on Natsu's leg.

"Where are we?" the Fire mage asked. Virgo pursed her lips as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Our spirits are not so easily forgiving, Natsu-sama," she reminded. "That said, I suggest you hurry and find her."

Natsu felt eyes burst wide at the demand, utterly bewildered, with Happy even more so. Before he could say a word, she was gone in that same flash of light that had brought them to their surrounding woods, blinding them for a moment. He ducked with a hiss, covering his face with his arms crossed over him. Whatever it was that she had used to teleport them, it was a potential distraction in battles.

"Ne, Natsu?" Happy suddenly called, a few feet away. "Was this here before we got here?"

The Dragon Slayer raised an eyebrow, glancing over his shoulder to check the meaning behind his words. He blinked in surprise, momentarily opening his mouth as if wanting to speak, but ended up remaining silent. They stood in front of a simple, rusty looking cottage, despite being a two stories building. As it hid so well between the flora and fauna of the woods, Natsu would have guessed it was intentional, willing to be unnoticed. If he even bothered to _think_ about it.

"I bet Virgo brought us here for a reason," Happy said. "Should we go in?"

"Hell yeah."

Happy snickered at Natsu's casual tone and trademark grin as he said it. The teen took hold of the door handle and without hesitanting, pushed it open. There was talking going on inside provided by plentiful of people and his intrudance went almost unnoticed. As Natsu closed the door behind his back and scanned the brownish insides of the place, a brunet young man wearing a white dress shirt and casual jeans took notice of him, standing from his stool by the bar. Next to him were two girls, one with long blonde hair in two low ponytails that fell down to her thighs and a young, lithe complexion, wearing a flowery gray dress that flared around her thighs, with white flats and a lacy long sleeved coat of the same eggshell color. Her eyes were bluer than the ocean, giving off an aura akin to the season of winter.

The other girl had equally long, dark brown and wavy hair to her knees, framing her oval-shaped face and high cheekbones, her body just as skinny. She wore a dark purple, almost black tube top with spaghetti straps, a short dark navy blue skirt—secured by a belt—that ended mid thigh, and lacy black stockings. Anyone would assume these two girls were related, but the contrast between each face and choice of clothing was too grand for that. What sparked their differences more was the lavender scarf on the brunette, beneath her hair, securely tied in ninja fashion around her face to merely display her chestnut eyes. That and the fact that their chest sizes might be polar opposites, considering the brunette had the advantage.

Natsu narrowed his eyes at her. The magical aura around her spiked high levels and something in his mind told him she was capable of giving Erza a run for her money. She resembled too much of an assassin to his liking.

What was this place all about anyway?

"You," the brown haired boy suddenly said, knitting his brows. "You're Natsu Dragneel."

Suddenly the room seemed all too silent, something Natsu wasn't very accustomed to. He tightened his lips.

"E—Everyone seems to know you today, Natsu," Happy joked in a nervous tone, as if to ease the tension. Natsu paid him no mind, but still appreciated the gesture as usual.

"Lucy. Where is she?" he asked, with no qualms whatsoever.

The brunet was about to answer, until a male voice cut across them from behind him.

"I'd like to know that myself, as well."

Natsu glanced at the door a few feet away from the bar to spot a middle aged brunet man with a brown cloak over his entire body, a chin smeared with hair and green eyes that could seethe anyone's deepest and darkest secrets enough to spill over. Natsu almost shuddered at the magic pressure this man was sending off, awfully reminded of Gildarts. The man stepped between Natsu and the brown haired teenager, eyeing the latter.

"Shilga-san," he began, calmly, "do you have any idea as to where Lucy, Maya and Ivory are at this moment?"

"Those three?" Shilga said, glancing at the blonde close to him, who shook her head. "We haven't seen them in two days. We were actually getting worried already."

"You should," another voice cut in, but this time, it was female, and it sounded _enraged_.

Stepping closer with her hands firm on her hips, was a tall woman with hime cut raven black hair, tied in flowing twintails. Most of her body was exposed, for she wore a scarlet red tank top and khaki colored shorts, and a pair of dark combat boots to add even more touches to the term 'warrior' irradiating off of her. The contrast between the greenish color of her cloak—hanging off her right shoulder—and her crimson red lips was noticeable, as well as the lilac eyeshade on her lids contrasted her blood red eyes. That same dragon tattoo Natsu had seen on Peter's arm was on her left abdomen, in black, only adding up to his confusion and suspicion. She was holding a crumpled piece of paper on her right hand, most likely ripped off a board by herself.

"This right here," she spat, raising the paper, "is the common mission that was put in place of the S-Class mission Araya and I were supposed to do today! I bet my nails Team Element snatched it behind our backs."

Whispers dispersed around the hall like a plague at her accusation. Within the murmurs, a young man, with curly hair the same color as hers stepped forward, adjusting his black rimmed glasses over his brown eyes and crossing his arms over his chest afterwards.

"Calm down, Rue. There's no way we can be sure they did it," he said, his voice hinted with a serene tone, before he glanced at the man in front of Natsu. "Master Daniel, what do you think?"

"Oh, I'm telling you Aiden, they definitely did it!" Rue snarled, gritting her teeth. Master seemed to study the woman's words for a second.

"Considering my daughter's well known behavior and the fact that not even Sam here knows where his best friend is, I'm afraid I'm with Ruanne on this one."

Realization then dawned on Sam and he sighed, dragging his hands on his face. "Oh for the love of… Maya!"

"That took a while," a teenager with spiky, sand colored hair deadpanned, smirking with a hint of mischief in his brown eyes. Sam muttered what seemed a 'shut up, Garrett.'

Natsu, already having enough with this charade, decided to scowl and growl loudly to make his presence well noticed. All eyes were on him as answer.

"No one's answered my question so far," he snarled, and soon enough, his right hand was glowing in shades of orange and golden with his flames, "so I'll ask again: Where. Is. _**Lucy**_?"

Rue narrowed her eyes at him, crouching slightly as if to position herself to attack, but Master Daniel's hand stilled both parties from engaging in a fight. Natsu glared at him, tongue at the ready for a spiteful remark, but his reassuring stare caught him off guard.

"Now, we don't want to become your enemies, especially when the one you hold as your dearest has been under my wing lately," he said. Natsu ignored his heart beating fast, allowing the older man to continue. "I know of this mission, but I also know we're far too late."

"What?!" Natsu shouted, in angered disbelief. Master Daniel raised his hand.

"Fret not. I did not mean it that way, just that they are too involved in the mission for us to go after them," he explained, though Natsu saw him gulp slightly. "However, judging the target of this mission, I know where we must go."

Natsu sent him a half-lidded stare. "Is Lucy there?"

"I have the feeling she will be by the time we get there, and normally I have good hunches."

"… Where?" the Fire mage subtly caved, raising an eyebrow. Master Daniel pursed his lips.

"Fairy Tail."

* * *

**One cookie for who realized I changed the cover of the fic, which has a spoiler in it. (I'm not very good with editing, tho, you can see that…)**

**Also, did you guys hear about E.N.D. being Natsu theory? Holy shit. I freaked out because it makes so much sense. Like, one example: **

**E.N.D.**

**Evil Natsu Dragneel. **

**HOLY GUACAMOLE. REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS CHAPTER **_**AND **_**THIS THEORY! (once you've realized what it's about).**


	17. The Unspoken Catch

**Your wish has been fulfilled, LoverofLucy, here is the next chapter. Also, Sunsetdh, thank you for provinding me such an amazing character, Araya Bonflare.**

**Remember that loophole for Lucy's magic? It's going to be quite evident in here.**

* * *

The forest was not normal, that was a quasi fact. There were no animals in the background, no wind blowing up leaves, and the silence was so deep that it could be sliced in half by a butter knife. The forest was, in a word, eerie.

Lucy fathomed it mirrored their situation pretty well. They were pursuing a wild beast that feasted on humans and had Magnolia in its crosshairs. It slaughtered anyone who opposed its intentions or attempted to kill it, and after performing the massacre, Bloodthirsty either swallowed the victims whole or allowed leftovers. Calling wrecked pieces of human hearts and organs ravaged in blood 'leftovers' made Lucy flinch. These were humans. _Dead _humans. If they didn't fuel their pace anytime soon, there would be more victims.

Those who suffered at Bloodthirsty's claws were not mages. Fortunately, Team Element—Lucy, Maya and Ivy—along with Loke, were skilled ones. But, they still didn't know how to dispose of Bloodthirsty and Lucy bet her hair that this monster could make even _Natsu _wary of its presence. It was a good match for Deliora.

They ended up frantically running through the forest, searching for any hints or marks that proved the fate of those men Ruby had told them about. Ivy had clearly opined that they hadn't survived, but Lucy wanted to be sure. They searched for, more or less, an hour. Ruby clung to her all the time, always silent, always timid, and Maya complained and bickered with Lucy throughout it all. She was keen on Ivy's theory and pressured Lucy into giving it up to head for Magnolia instead, before it was too late. Lucy couldn't agree more, but she had to check for more survivors. That was the job of a responsible mage. Erza would have done it too and she knew it.

Finally, Maya couldn't take it anymore and walked up to Lucy, with her eyes simmering in clear panic, fear and anger. The blonde stared off into a vast meadow, brooded, oblivious to her stomping.

"Natsu and your family are there!" she bellowered, shaking her violently and snapping her out of her reverie to glare at the brunette. "They're going to die and it's going to be your fault!"

Lucy opened her mouth, mouthing her words, trying to make clear that Fairy Tail could not be underestimated, but the dread she had just seen restrained her voice from working. Ruby was still staring at it.

"Maya, stop it!" Ivy warned, half running towards them to pull the Earth mage back from the blonde with gritted teeth. Maya glared at both.

"Ivy, she has to face the consequences!"

"No, that's not it," he hissed, and eyed the scene Lucy and Ruby had been so entranced by with ruckled eyebrows. "_Look._"

Maya creased her brow, face contorting in disbelief, but followed his stare anyway. Her eyes went wider than dinner plates at what she saw.

Possibly ten feet away, in the middle of an ample sunkissed clearing, was a group of five men laying on the ground—at least, what was left of them. There was blood all around their mangled bodies, dampening the nature pressed against them, and their organs were scattered on the ground like pieces of an incomplete puzzle. Maya could not take her eyes off of it, aghast.

Out of the blue, Ruby released a terrified scream that echoed off the silent nature, and Lucy made the child bury her head in her chest to blind her from the mutilated corpses. The blonde herself, though, was staring at it with wide, unblinking eyes, as the young child sobbed violently against her. Lucy tried to convince herself she had seen worse at the plaza of Onibus, that there was more to come, but it was still sickening to behold. As she gently wrapped her arms around Ruby's body, she made her decision. Ruby was a _child_.

"Take her to safety," she commanded, glancing at Loke with a steely edge to her voice. Ruby, however, was surprisingly against the idea.

"No," she sniffled, stepping away from Lucy.

The blonde pursed her lips, eyeing her sadly. "Ruby…"

"No!" she yelled stubbornly. "I'm not l—leaving you!"

"Ruby, we'll be fine, we're mages," she assured, and cupped her flushed cheeks in her hands. "Trust me, we will defeat the monster."

"I don't want to leave you," she cried softly. "I don't want to be alone…"

Something clicked inside Lucy's head. Ruby's parents were killed, but what about the man, the scarred and traumatized man, that was still under their protection? She glanced at him, who was being watched by Ivy in case he went madder than he already had. Which seemed to be one heck of a possibility as she looked at his wide eyes and shivering body, like a lunatic holding back on his tantrum.

"Ruby… this man, do you know him?"

She glanced at the old man for a moment, and shook her head. "I found him, after… after Bloodthirsty left."

_Not her grandfather or family at all_, Lucy realized. Her parents were dead, and she was out in the world by herself. Ruby was truly alone.

Lucy pursed her lips, putting on a determined face. No. Not truly. She would not let her go through it. She would not let her go through the same as _herself_. This time, she had the opportunity to prevent it, and the hell with the world if she didn't take it.

"Ruby, you have me now. I swear, on my life, that I will be with you. I'll never leave you."

A flash of relief and happiness surged through the little girl's eyes, which reminded Lucy somewhat of caramel. Sweet, warm, but incredibly sticky, almost like treacle. She smiled at the accurate comparison. Despite being gentle and shy, Ruby was very clingy.

Those eyes then abruptly changed from cheery candy into a painting visually resembling 'The Scream' all in brown, overly depressing and overflowing with panic.

"B—But, you're going to take me away, you're going to leave me!" she reminded, tears pooling in her eyes again. Lucy could not stop herself and hugged her tightly.

"I'm only doing this to protect you, Ruby. I don't want to risk you getting hurt," the blonde said. Her own eyes were narrowing with guilt and sorrow as she spoke.

"But I want to stay with you!"

Lucy sighed softly, glancing at her friends for support. They only shrugged hesitantly, as they eyed the child with pity in their stares. Ruby was definitely stubborn, and the more Lucy tried to reason with her, the more she refused to leave her side. There was only one solution that somehow pleased both sides.

"Okay, honey, here's the deal: I'll let you stay," Lucy conceded, but when Ruby began grinning like the Cheshire cat, she continued in a stricter tone, "for now. If it starts getting messy, I'll need you to run."

"Jack, or Tullip, can fly her to safety," Ivy suggested. Lucy nodded, glancing in his way, before she eyed the child expectantly.

"Okay?" Ruby didn't answer, looking at her feet. Lucy bent her head slightly, touching their foreheads. "_Okay_?"

"… Okay."

Lucy nodded then. Ivy smirked a little—the more Lucy talked to Ruby, the more he began realizing how motherly she sounded around her.

* * *

How. Just _how_. How on Earthland could Natsu trust this man and his words? Lucy had found a new team and new friends? She was on her way to Magnolia? She was about to face a monster that slaughtered humans without mercy? If that was truly the case, he should be in her place, he should be _protecting _her. He was in the wrong place. He didn't find her. Gods damn it, he was in the wrong place. _He should be protecting her_.

"Oh, I doubt she needs your protection, Dragneel," the woman, Rue, had said, as if his thoughts were in live broadcast. "I've sensed the pressure of her magic, and by the name of Anna Fitzherbert, she is _powerful_. Hardly believed when Master told me she isn't an S-Class mage."

So, Lucy had gotten stronger to the point of being an S-Class mage candidate. The moment he realized it, curiosity began bubbling inside him. Could she do solo missions now? Could she face powerful enemies on her own, now? Could she face _him_, Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander, on a battle now?

By the way Shilga and the little blondie—actually named Sam and Eira, he had discovered—eyed him, he guessed that yes, Lucy could easily take him on a battle. And had very probable chances of victory. Which was still a shock to him.

He was having trouble trusting this Daniel person, and Natsu was normally an easy going guy. This was unusual of him. He both trusted and seriously doubted this mage.

… That thought riling up in his head was downright _ironic _because he was already boarding yet another train back to Magnolia, with this Master Daniel and a bunch of S-Class mages. Including Peter. Who was not at all okay with being left downstairs while he rumaged through Lucy's apartment. Gladly, both hadn't engaged in a conversation, let alone a fight. Natsu could see he was horridly tempted to start one, though.

Right in front of him, Master Daniel was gritting his teeth and palming his forehead in distress. Natsu really didn't know how to react, so he merely stared, raising an eyebrow with narrowed eyes and crossed arms. He settled for a simple question.

"Why the hell ain't I getting motion sickness?"

"I snuck a pill I made myself onto your water earlier today. I borrow it to my fellow Dragon Slayers in case they have to travel by train."

Natsu glared slightly at him, not liking the fact that he had eaten something from this guy. He ignored the wonderful feeling of travelling without his stomach dancing inside his belly, and focused on one particular part of Master Daniel's words.

"Fellow Dragon Slayers?"

He inhaled slowly, and closed his eyes, as if he was preparing to enlighten him with a speech.

"Natsu-san," he began. "I am the Master of a secluded guild called Dragon Claw. I assume you can see the numerous marks in my companions' bodies."

_So I was right, then_, Natsu thought, connecting the dots. He was awfully observant today, he bet Happy was scared out of his wits. A laugh threatened to drum out of his lips, but he held it back by soundly clearing his throat instead.

"Master, should we really be telling him all this? I mean, he's from a very famous guild," Rue pointed out, slightly sneering in his direction. He sneered back on instinct.

"The cat's out of the bag already, there's no stopping it," the sand haired boy, presumably Garrett, stated. "I don't think we're getting out of this one, Master."

"Neither do I," Master Daniel replied, sighing. "That's why I'm explaining who we are to him, and if we manage to find Lucy, we'll all help her and the others."

"I'm only doing it because it was my mission in the first place," Rue growled, an egotistical edge to it. Natsu slitted his eyes towards her.

"How can you be sure that Lucy will be in Magnolia?" he asked. He tried really hard to prevent the poison from pouring into his voice.

"Because the beast was somehow born in the depths of the woods not far from Onibus, and I have the terrifying feeling that it's done with that town and it's heading for Magnolia. I assume Team Element must be on its way to slay it, and I am really praying they make it out alive."

Natsu swallowed the lump in his throat and proceeded to distract himself from the thought of Lucy dead in his arms. "Team Element?"

"Lucy-chan, Maya Everhart and Ivy Silver," Sam explained. Natsu deflated. So she _had _found new partners… that didn't help his confidence.

"Master, technically they haven't broken any rules," Eira said, in a quiet voice. "Ivory is an S-Class mage."

"True, but that doesn't erase the fact that they took a mission assigned for another S-Class mage. I agree with the 'you snooze, you lose' policy, but Rue and Araya were going on one hell of an S-Class mission," Garrett intervened, looking baffled.

How was that supposed to be helping diminish Natsu's worries?

"We all know Lucy and Ivy are possibly the strongest mages in Team Element. Lucy is almost as good as Bonflare here," Aiden said, as if reading Natsu's inner turmoil, while gesturing to the assassin looking midget, Araya.

Lucy. The strongest mage. Natsu wasn't used to those words at all, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a surge of pride rushing in his chest like wild fire. A split second smirk edged onto his lips, before he stared at Master Daniel again, all serious. Happy was eyeing him in suspicion by the corner of his eye, obviously not used to his business attitude.

"That doesn't matter, they took our mission!" Rue snarked, and turned to Araya. "You're with me on this one, right?!"

"I guess," she said, voice muffled by the lavender scarf while she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Panicking or bickering won't help," Master Daniel interrupted, glaring at Rue like reprimanding a child. "All we can do is head for Magnolia, and _then_ we'll find a way to deal with this."

Natsu perked up a little. "I'll get my comrades to help."

The older man mulled over the words with a slight aversion to them, but Natsu was staring at him so fiercely, so bravely. As if he was an untamed, powerful dragon, towering over his authority, with claws just as sharp as his temper. Master Daniel's lips twitched in a slight smirk.

Fairy Tail did win the title of strongest guild in the country.

"We'll join forces. If the monster is truly after Magnolia, the city will need to be evacuated. Dragon Claw and Fairy Tail will confront it."

"We're battling it?"

"If we have to."

Natsu just had to smirk. Garrett plopped down on the seat beside him, eyeing him with mischief irradiating off his bright eyes.

"Getting fired up there, Salamander?"

The Fire mage grinned devilishly. "You have no idea."

* * *

They had to head for Magnolia. Now. Huge pawprints and traces of blood were found when they went deeper into the woods, and Maya—who had caught a faint scent of Magnolia on Lucy the first time they met—immediately caught the familiar smell of Fairy Tail's hometown. They were close and so was Bloodthirsty. They had to go, _now_.

"We need to run," Lucy hissed, and turned to Maya and Ivy. "You two—"

"LUCY!"

A roar. A horrifyingly inhuman roar cut through her words like a longsword, and with widening eyes, the blonde turned to the source of it.

Roughly ten feet away from the team, and scarce inches apart from Lucy's face, was the monster. It was _huge_, with daunting, feral yellow eyes and gray fur all over its body, swirly horns pricking from behind its ears and long, thick tail wagging impatiently—so long to the point of smacking trees to the ground without mercy, like dominos. It walked on all fours, and the snout was _overly _close to Lucy. The dirty, incredibly sharp teeth were slightly bared as he eyed her, as if she was a juicy mutton leg, and her hair fanned with each breath it took. The blonde inhaled, eyes so wide owls could be put to shame, her body trembling like a leaf in the middle of a sandstorm. Behind her, Ivy, Maya and Loke were frozen in their spots, utterly terrified and anticipating its next move. Ruby was shaking badly with her knees on the ground, tears running down her cheeks.

Then, Bloodthirsty roared again, right into Lucy's face. There were leftovers of blood on its mouth, so she closed one eye when droplets of it drenched her face and clothes. Maya made her move then, the first broken out of shock.

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!"

Lucy yelped, ducking out of the way as a hurricane of green crashed onto Bloodthirsty's enormous snout. She landed on the ground harshly, rolling away from the impact and wincing at the twigs prickling her skin like needles. The beast roared in anger, pushed back a few feet. Alas, it was still standing. Lucy sprinted away from it, in time for Ivy to step forward and take her place.

"Tide of the Water Dragon!" he summoned, flourishing his arms as humongous waves of water appeared behind him. The water dodged Lucy, Loke, Ruby and the Exceeds at Ivy's command, swallowing the monster and sending it farther away. It knocked countless more trees, rolling down the small hill like a rocket, a ruckus erupting in the once silent forest.

Lucy scrambled to Ruby's side, who was staring wide eyed at the scene, but refused to show any signs of fear and refused to cry or scream. The blonde cupped her face, forcing her eyes to avoid the fight and look at her own instead.

"I need you to get out of here!"

"But—!"

"No buts, Ruby, you are getting out of here now!" she commanded, in a loud tone, in order to be heard over Ivy and Maya's work of magic.

Ruby's lower lip trembled, but she nodded her head violently. Lucy glanced at the two fighting behind her, as Loke helped her up with gritted teeth and a visible sheen of sweat in his right temper.

"Saturn Malgae: Gravity Force!" she shouted, raising her hand, and in a millisecond, Bloodthirsty was frozen in its spot, right before it attempted to bite off Ivy's head. Purplish wires of light were tightened around its bulgy form, so hard that they threatened to pop.

She hopped forward, between the two Dragon Slayers, a ferocious expression in place of her previous terrified one.

"You two can reach Magnolia faster by flying," she said, and spread her arms. "I'll handle things here!"

"Lucy!" Maya opposed, glaring at her. The blonde then whipped her head to her left and looked at her in the eye, visibly desperate and panicked.

"_Please_."

Maya was taken aback, widening her eyes. Lucy looked so terrified, so vulnerable, like a rabbit about to enter the lion's den, but at the same time courage swam in her eyes like fire drowned in oil. Maya pursed her lips, her hands turning into fists, and turned to Ivy with regretful green eyes. He parted his lips, mimicking her hands.

"Promise me you'll come back," Maya demanded, in a cracked voice. Ivy narrowed his eyes.

"Promise _us _that you'll come back alive," he added. The blonde squeezed her eyes closed.

Lucy pulled them both towards her, wrapping her arms around their shoulders for a quick group hug. Their foreheads touched for a brief moment, before they pulled away unwillingly. When Lucy spoke, her voice was tiny, scared, a whisper, but it overflowed with hope and determination.

"I promise."

They both scurried away then. Lucy saw Maya taking a reluctant Ruby in her arms as Tullip pulled her up in the air, her wings bursting out from her back, Ivy carrying the old man with Jack following suit. Loke hurried to her side just as Ruby screamed her name. The blonde looked up at her, aware of the sound of her magic threads around Bloodthirsty ripping like old rope.

"Come back!" she pleaded, in a cry. Maya and Ivy shared the same look of desperation in their faces.

Lucy did her best to grin, despite knowing her spell was about to break.

"I will!"

"We'll return after we've evacuated the city!" Ivy promised. Lucy nodded slowly.

It wasn't long before they were merely dots in the sky, and Lucy turned to face the angered beast. Loke raised his fist as she inhaled, more wires bursting.

"Go back to the Spirit World if this gets nasty," Lucy ordered, positioning herself to attack. To her surprise, Loke huffed, and mimicked her.

"You fight alongside your spirits and they fight alongside you, princess."

Lucy smiled for a moment, appreciating the loyalty, but it was quickly overcome with a wince as the feeling of Saturn Malgae gnawing at her insides signaled the spell was about to burst. Out of instinct, she reached for her whip, knowing she'd need it. It was to her horror that her hand had met an empty loophole. Her breath hitched and an involuntary gasp escaped her.

"My whip… I don't have it!" she cried out, but before Loke could react, Bloodthirsty was freed from her spell.

"Regulus Impact!"

The beast was clearly getting more and more enraged at each attempt they made to defeat it. It was faintly bruised at some spots, but overall its body was impeccable. Lucy gritted her teeth, dodging the huge claw that swooped down on her. She did a sloppy somersault to evade another swipe, her braid coming half undone at the gesture and a growl drumming in her throat.

"Neptuno Glacie: Blizzard!" she casted, enveloping the area in wind and hail. Loke jumped back when Bloodthirsty simply roared in response, the sound reverberating throughout the whole forest, the storm nothing but a scratch to it. The Leo tch'ed in irritation.

"This is fucked," he spat. "All we can do is keep it from coming forward and that isn't helping!"

"No shit!"

They were done for it and gods damn it, it peeved her enough to the point of swearing. This was a huge problem and she seriously hoped Ivy and Maya would be returning with some back-up _fast_. She might be much more powerful, but S-Class powerful? Not quite yet, in her opinion.

Bloodthirsty lunged once again, and Lucy had no time to rationalize as his paw—the size of thrice her bedroom—collided with her body and knocked the air out of her lungs. She briefly heard Loke call out her name when she clashed onto a nearby tree, and through the haze of pain and dizziness, her ears caught the split second sound of what was possibly one, maybe two of her ribs cracking open. With a humid gag sound and a squirt of blood out of her mouth, Lucy slid to the ground, momentarily paralized.

"Regulus Blast!" she heard Loke summon, his voice like an echo. Her vision was blurry from banging her head on the tree, but she saw tall shadows of dark green being pushed back a notch.

Lucy inhaled shakily, and folding her arms around herself, she murmured, "Sano Terram."

A wave of comfort and peace made the sharp pain on her chest go numb, her body gleaming a soothing green. The feeling of her broken ribs popping back into place echoed in her chest, but it was not exactly painful or uncomfortable. All in all, Lucy flinched at the sensation. Through the blonde curtains of her now loose hair, she saw Bloodthirsty move from Loke and charge towards her, but she was already decently recovered.

"Aestus Mercurius: Fire Barrier!" she yelled, sprouting to her feet and wiping the blood on her mouth with the back of her left hand.

The beast became surrounded by blazing walls of fire, circling around it, but Lucy knew it wasn't going to last long. Besides the gray fur on its back and mane, its body also contained scales and the tail proved it. Bloodthirsty roared in ire just as Loke hopped to her side.

"What's the plan?" he asked, out of breath. Lucy pursed her lips.

"Prevent it from reaching Magnolia."

"_How_?" Loke asked, tone heavy with sarcasm. "We can barely land a scratch on it."

"I know," she replied, in despair. _If only I had my whip_…

Then again, she assumed it wouldn't make that much of a difference.

"Princess."

Both Lucy and Loke were startled at Virgo's unexpected appearance, watching her stretch her hands to her. With a gasp of satisfaction and relief, Lucy noticed her Fleuve d'Étoiles casually folded in her palms. She seized it with no qualms, thanking Virgo briefly, right before Bloodthirsty decided to run through the flames like a deranged demon. To Lucy, he already was one.

"Jupiter Fulgus: Thunder Strike!" she casted, and with a swing of her wrist, her whip—which was shrouded in lilac lightning along with the blue and golden magic of Fleuve d'Étoiles—smacked the beast across the snout, consequently knocking it over more trees.

The moment Bloodthirsty's eyes, those delirious yellow eyes, met Lucy's hazelnut ones, a surge of dread rushed through her body like a downpour. It had been only playing with her so far. It was going to get serious from now. There was nothing else to it—the beast was more than ready to shred her into bits. Bloodthirsty leaped from the destroyed forest ground, and hissed at the three so loudly that it could be compared to an overgrown basilisk. Its gray, scaly tail sprung into view, and before anyone could react, it whacked them across the area with the force akin to a lever.

Lucy screeched in mid air, and out of sheer luck and randomly perfect aim, she swung her whip to wrap tightly around a thick tree branch, stopping her flying momentum. An incredibly sharp pain jabbed the right side of her body as she bumped heavily onto the tree, her consciousness threatening to leave her. That same feeling of dread from making eye contact with Bloodthirsty returned, and deepened. Hanging by the branch and holding her body with merely her right arm on her whip was starting to take its toll on her resistance. Lucy cringed.

"Saturn Malgae," she casted, and putting up a reckless tactic. "Gravity: Zero!"

Lucy pulled hard on her whip and the knot was undone. Thankfully, she had already summoned the Gravity Manipulation spell, so she was slowly reaching the ground, surrounded by a misty light that glowed in the dark purple that symbollized its magic. The spell became useless though, because without her noticing, Bloodthirsty had risen to a sprint, seeing her as a vulnerable target. She whipped her head towards the rekindled ruckus and stopped breathing when she saw the beast's jaw wide open, ready to snatch her with its demonic fangs.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

With neither Lucy's knowledge or consent, Loke and Virgo had clumsily scrambled to their feet, ignoring the bloody wounds and fractures that prickled painfully in their astral bodies. All the Celestial mage could see was two of her beloved spirits pushing her out of the way, spreading their arms like human shields, and taking the blow of Bloodthirsty's sharp bite in her place. Lucy heard Loke scream in agony then, Virgo's mouth open in the same reaction, yet silent. Blood was everywhere, riveting out of their bodies and landing on the ground as they were pulled in the air by that pair of jaws.

Lucy watched, in horrorstruck wide eyes, frozen in the position she had landed when the two spirits had pushed her. The monster clearly felt they were not human, and with a growl of dissatisfaction, dropped them to the ground like slices of raw, slicked with blood, meat.

"FORCED CLOSURE!" Lucy shrieked, waving Loke and Virgo's respective keys with a trembling hand.

At her words, the keys glowed in sync with the fatally wounded spirits, and the light took them back to their world, hopefully in time for them to heal. Bloodthirsty acknowledged her presence again, baring its teeth at her like a rabid wolf ready for slaughter. Lucy stood on her feet, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"You'll pay," she snarled venomously, bravely. "**You'll pay for what you did to my friends!**"

The beast reacted to her words by roaring, the sound strikingly similar to thunder, but Lucy would have none of it. The monster would suffer in her hands.

"Come at me!" she beckoned, tauntingly.

Bloodthirsty made eye contact with her once again and visibly prepared to pounce on her. Lucy bent her arms, fire licking at her dirtied leather sleeves, her eyes holding that same spark of fury and vehemence the element bright in her hands possessed. However, a familiar sensation washed over her body, and she stared, with wide, terrified eyes, at the slowly diminishing flames on her hands.

_I'm… I'm running out of magic?!_

Lucy staggered on her feet, flabbergasted.

_No… This can't be… I'm supposed to have an endless vessel of magic! What's going on?!_

Such was her shock that she didn't see the beast's incoming deadly paw. Bloodthirsty seemingly saw her as an obstacle rather than food now. Its paw collided with her before she even knew it, and with a scream, Lucy was flung about twenty feet away from the area, away from its path, heavily hitting the ground. Her body then proceeded to roll down the small, wrecked hill and her head swiftly banged against a rock on the ground. In a matter of seconds, her body went limp.

She was knocked out cold.

* * *

**I am officially the master of cliffhangers. DUN DUN DUUUUN.**

**Tcha-naaan. Lucy's weakness. You'll see why it happened, though… in the next chapter. Or not. I'll just say, that loophole can be classified as both her weakness and her strength.**

**And there's two reasons as to why I'm taking longer to update: One, I received many complaints saying my latest chapters were short, and even though I screamed 'SHORT MY ASS! I WROTE LIKE 5000 WORDS FOR THAT ONE!', I decided to make the chapters longer.**

**Two, I have a life outside Fanfiction, believe it or not. **

**REVIEW OR I'LL KILL LUCY IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. I think you know very well that I can do that…**


	18. The Stand Up

**As if I would kill Lucy, come on. She's my favorite female character.**

**Brace yourselves, BADASS LUCY IS ON THE WAY. Not to mention 'in pain' Lucy and returning to Fa—Oops, did I just give you a spoiler? Heh.**

**ENJOY.**

* * *

Maya knew, the very moment they had left, that something bad was going to happen to Lucy.

She had the impulse to go back, even telling Ivy she wanted to, not feeling well knowing Lucy was fighting without her partners' supervision, but she never did go back. She trusted the blonde, trusted how strong she was and respected her command. Lucy was, after all—even if implied—the leader of Team Element. Nevertheless, Maya was worried to the core when she and Ivy left her alone with that berserk beast. Something bad was bound to happen.

"She'll be fine," Ivy had said, as they rapidly flew over the grounds and approached the easily noticeable outskirts of Magnolia city in fortunate quick time. "She's more powerful than me, remember?"

Maya couldn't help but disregard his playfully smug tone. She was too stressed out to react to his sarcasm.

After barely fifteen minutes of flying (they had been awfully close to the city), they landed on the entrance of Magnolia, quickly spotted by the guards and citizens nearby. Maya and Ivy made quick work of it, nodding at each other, and with Ruby safely clinging to Maya's hand, they ran towards the groups that were slowly forming.

"We need to evacuate the city!" Maya ordered loudly, face stern and pinched with panic. Gasps and whispers erupted in the approaching crowd, the guards working on calming them down and allowing silence to flow in the air.

"What? Who are you to give orders?" a soldier asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

Ivy stepped in, "Two Dragon Slayers who just had an encounter with the beast of the city of Onibus."

"Or what's left of it," Maya hissed. The guards visibly froze at the meaning behind her words.

"It slaughtered the whole town and there were only two survivors," Ivy continued, briefly glancing to his back where the old man clung to. "It feeds on humans, and it's headed for Magnolia."

The citizens nearly lost it at Ivy's information, making Maya cringe and slap her palm on her forehead. He was a straightforward guy, that was good, but sometimes he was _too _straightforward. She saw the guards struggling to silence the people again, and they gradually succeeded, which allowed the conversation to continue.

"How can we be certain that this is not a set up?" another soldier inquired, in a loud voice.

Maya gritted her teeth, and putting aside the secrecy of Dragon Claw's existence, she harshly pulled up the sleeve of her denim jacket to display her emerald green tattoo of a dragon on her wrist.

"We're guild mages!" she snapped, and a few people actually flinched at her feisty attitude. "Now do your duty and get started on protecting the townspeople!"

The guards staggered on their feet, creased brows and widened eyes as reactions, but soon enough they were leading the people surrounding the area away from the city gates. One remained there, probably the commander officer, and held a stern yet distressed expression.

"When can the citizens relax and return to their homes?"

"We have a friend taking care of the beast as we speak. If it does reach Magnolia, we will be here to handle it. We'll tell you when it's safe to return," Ivy answered, calmly. "Also, take this man with you. He needs medical support."

The guard nodded, pulling the man to his side. "Fairy Tail is here, they can help."

Maya actually raised her eyebrows. She hadn't remembered that detail.

"Where is Fairy Tail located?" Ivy asked. The man pointed to a tall building, the one that caught most attention in the whole area, before he saluted them and ran back to join his fellow guards in helping the people move. Ivy gave a low whistle.

"Well, aren't they modest?" Maya snarked, rolling her eyes. "What about Ruby?"

Ivy glanced at the shivering child. "I doubt she'll want to stay with strangers, or away from us. We'll leave her under Fairy Tail's care."

The Water mage then nudged her slightly.

"Let's go. Hopefully Dragneel is there."

"Yeah, I want to kick his ass."

"You and me both, Everhart."

Jack and Tullip took the cue, hoisting their respective partners in the air, Maya holding Ruby to her chest as their Exceeds rapidly lead them towards the sturdy building. Beneath them, Maya could see several groups of people running north, away from the city, as well could hear multiple guards announcing what Ivy had told them to do. Maya could smell fear and panic in manifold, thick layers. It was understandable. She raised her head a notch, spotting the train station that was also packed with people running for it and guards trying their best to keep the order—and were failing miserably—and she could swear she saw a mop of salmon hair in the middle of the skittish crowds.

"Hey… do you see what I see?" Ivy suddenly asked, narrowing his eyes. He had seen it too.

Maya was about to confirm his question with an awestruck expression, but before she could say a word, an invisible force field burst around their bodies. Jack and Tullip yelped, suddenly incapable of controlling their movements, and the Exceeds were pulled towards the train station against their will, dragging Ivy, Maya and a screeching Ruby along.

"_Whaaaaaat_ the heck is _haaaaappeeeeniing_?!" Tullip squeaked, flapping her wings unsuccessfully. Maya pursed her lips and tightened her hold on Ruby as they approached the station with remarkable speed.

"Dad."

At her words, her eyes locked with another pair of the same color as hers, strictly narrowed at her. He had an arm raised towards them, proof that he was the culprit of their change of turnabout. All of their S-Class mages were standing around him, along with Sam.

And Natsu Dragneel.

Soon enough, she and Ivy hit the ground with an _oof, _feet away from the group. The brunette cringed, kneeling on the floor with a swirl-eyed, unbalanced Tullip spinning on the ground, a dizzy Ruby, a startled Jack and a wide eyed Ivy that eventually wheezed out a '_phew_!'.

"Meet Maya Everhart and Ivy Silver," Garrett suddenly said, cutting through the tension, "Lucy's partners. And… that one I don't know."

Maya peeked up through her messy fringe. The Fire Dragon Slayer was staring at them with a look of curiosity, surprise and a bit of… annoyance? She glared at him, the story Lucy had confided in her coming to her mind in full force. He'd be sorry. Oh, he'd be _sorry._

"I suspect you already know what you've done," Master Daniel Everhart, her father, admonished. She crossed her arms, standing straight, an emotionless façade in her features.

"Master, I'm sorry for interrupting, but we have a serious problem in our hands," Ivy cut in, raising himself from the floor with Jack laying flat on his head.

Master Danny gritted his teeth slightly. "That is pretty much clear."

Right. He read minds. Ivy kicked himself mentally.

"Where's Lucy?"

Maya and Ivy drove their attention towards Natsu at the same exact moment, and dealed with him in polar opposite ways: Maya howled, stepping forward to pounce on him like a panther, while Ivy grasped her wrist to prevent her from going awry. The Water mage was glaring at Natsu, though.

"Like you have the right to ask that!" she bellowered. Natsu glared at her, baring his teeth ominously.

"Quit it!" Ivy hissed, struggling to keep her encaged in his arms.

"Maya, stop."

It was her father this time, in a low, yet stern tone. She let her arms go limp on her sides, but she was still boring knives into Natsu's face with her eyes. He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow, while his blue furred Exceed slid up to his head with curious eyes. There was a momentary silence being used to ease the stress and anger, lasting for a few minutes, which was provided by the lack of people in the train station. They all had scrambled to evacuate as well.

Maya eventually answered, in a bitter tone, "She's waiting for us."

"You mean... she's dealing with the monster all by herself?!" Natsu barked, onyx eyes narrowing and fists erupting in scarlet flames. Ivy placed a hand on her shoulder before a fight could be started. She settled for a different approach instead.

"She's capable of that! Shouldn't you know, of all people?" she deadpanned, in a fake oblivious tone, before she smirked slightly. "Oh, right. You don't. _You weren't there_."

"I should have been," he spat, half furious, half guilty.

"Enough with the chit-chat," Eira surprisingly interrupted, the threatening tone not very convincing in her sweet, gentle voice. "Lucy. She's in danger. And who is that?"

Ruby flinched at the older girl, trying to hide behind Maya.

"She's a survivor from Onibus. She's taken quite a liking to Lucy…"

"Okay, we'll leave her with the guards. Tell us where Lucy-chan is and we'll all go help her." Sam said. To his surprise, both Master Danny and Maya shook their heads.

"No. Fairy Tail, that's where we have to be."

"And Ruby doesn't like strangers."

"We have to be with Lucy," Natsu defied, gritting his teeth in Master Danny's direction.

"Dude, if Master says we have to be in Fairy Tail, we have to. Trust me," Garrett said, in a reassuring tone.

"He's right. Master's foretelling never fails," Aiden added, nodding his head.

Natsu narrowed his eyes, clenching his jaw. "Lucy's fighting the monster all by herself, I should—"

"Look, ash for brains, I know you're worried!"

Actually, she really didn't. Hadn't that Iron Dragon Slayer said he didn't give a damn about her? Why the hell was he acting all protective all of a sudden?

"But you're with us now," she added, her tone restless. "You want to see Luce, you trust my father."

He inhaled sharply, eyeing her with caution. These two, Lucy's new partners. These two, Lucy's new comrades. These two, Lucy's new friends. Natsu may have not known what Lucy went through in her small journey, but he did know one thing: she only picked the best people to trust. That was something influenced by her true family, by Fairy Tail. If Lucy trusted this guild… then so would he. And so would the guild.

Natsu nodded once, the needed cue for the group to start heading towards Fairy Tail's location. However, the Fire mage pulled the feisty brunette to his side before she could follow them, much to her surprise.

He bowed to hiss in her ear, "Don't call her Luce. Only I get to call her that."

He released her arm then, stepping forward and ignoring her taken aback expression she had shown at his audacity. Who did he think he was? He had ignored Lucy for three months, made clear he didn't give a fuck about her and now he was acting like an exceedingly jealous and possessive boyfriend?

What a hypocrite.

Maya crossed her arms over her chest and stomped forward to join Ivy and Ruby's side, surpassing the salmon haired mage only slightly. She mimicked his earlier approach, in a somewhat more violent manner, and her hiss sounded almost vengeful.

"We'll see about that, Salamander."

* * *

Throbbing. Lucy was sure her head had never done it as painfully before in her life.

Grimacing, the blonde mage rose to her knees, cradling her own head in her hands as the world seemed to gyrate incessantly. She was so out of it that she couldn't remember what day it was or what she was doing in a forest, let alone why she had been unconscious in the first place. She blinked forcefully, rubbing her temples with her thumbs. Good thing was that the headache was slowly dissipating. A flood of memories dawned on her the minute she succeeded in standing on her feet. Bloodthirsty, a monster. Maya and Ivy, absent. Loke and Virgo, hurt.

Magnolia, Bloodthirsty's target. And her magic _running low_.

Lucy sucked in a breath. A million questions danced in her mind when she remembered the reasons as to why she was in the outskirts of a forest, and all of them involving on how her magic was dropping levels. Master Danny had clearly said Begalinis Magija was activated inside her, so why was she running low on magic? Maybe there was a catch he hadn't known or simply didn't tell her about? But why would he keep her in the dark and let her risk herself without knowing?

Bloodthirsty, Magnolia, Fairy Tail, _Natsu_. Lucy repeated these words in her head three times to distract her doubts and focus on the real issue at hand. She needed to get to Magnolia and she had to dispose of the monster before it harmed more innocent people. And there was only one way available for that—kill it. She had to find a way to kill it. Like Deliora, Bloodthirsty was too dangerous to be alive.

But she had to think this through. Now that she was aware of the possibility of running out of magic, she couldn't afford to cast magic blindly and risk losing her last remnants of power. From what Lucy could sense in herself, she had enough magic for either three Grand Spells or two Spirit Summons, as long as she didn't use Jupiter Fulgus or Saturn Malgae. Those would doom her magic in a second.

"Okay. Enough," she said aloud, inhaling carefully. "Urano Caeli: Fly Diversion."

The Wind was circling her body obeyingly at her words, lifting strands of golden and pieces of ragged clothes. She was badly bruised and all bloodied, but she couldn't waste any magic to heal herself when she could perfectly stand. Lucy pursed her lips when she thought of a different, faster approach. She quickly shrugged out of her leather coat and wrapped it tightly around her hips, allowing her upper body some fresh air.

"Enchant: Wings."

At her command, the translucid white of the Wind drifted to her back, and expertly created a pair of wide, long, swan like wings, the sight varying between the aspect of glass and the wafty texture of a thick fog. They burst out of her back, ripping the red material of her tank top with the force of several whirlwinds. Lucy let out a breath upon realizing her imagination turned out accurate, and breaking out in a light run across the area where forest met land, she took flight with the grace of a fairy and the spur of a dragon.

Once in upper air, Lucy urged her makeshift wings to flap repeatedly, allowing her to fly faster. She had to get to Magnolia. Hopefully Maya and Ivy had succeeded in evacuating the city, and if they had, then where were they? A small wave of worry and panic washed over her at the probability of Bloodthirsty being already in the city, and clenching her teeth, the blonde struggled to fly faster. The wings, despite made out of pure imagination and last resource idea, were working rather well. But she had to hurry, because if she remained tied to this spell too long, her last droplets of magic would be out faster than planned.

As Lucy flew over the familiar lands that she used to see through the train window—the metal train tracks were a bunch of feet below her—she noticed how wretched and beaten up she looked. Her leg was bare from the knee down due to her jeans being torn open on the right side, her red tank top was smudged in brown and almost completely ripped at the back to let her wings free, and not to mention she had blood splattering her ragged clothing and dark bruises everywhere on her pale skin. She brushed over her left eye and grimaced. She was sure there was another bruise there on her eyelid.

There had to be some sort of weakness in Bloodthirsty's body. Most beasts had a vulnerability and hopefully this one was on the same boat. Lucy couldn't just thrust a spear through its chest and wait if it reacted.

_Wait,_ she thought as she plunged in favor of the wind, _that actually doesn't sound too bad._

Then again, magic was always full of surprises. Lucy could bury a blade through the monster's heart and it could survive, depending on what kind of magic it possessed, something she hadn't been able to realize.

_Note to self, ask Crux to do a bit of a research on Bloodthirsty after I manage to defeat it._

Lucy pressed an arm over her eyes when she spotted a white light from afar and squeezed an eye closed at the brightness. Stretching her wings, she flew forward in an attempt to match Happy's Max Speed as closely as she remembered it. After graciously rushing through the air and flying over a valley of small mountains, the Celestial mage halted in the air, her cocoa brown eyes narrowing in nostalgia and long golden locks fluttering against her small back.

Unbelievably close to where she floated was her home, her _salvation_, Magnolia.

And so was Bloodthirsty. Lucy gritted her teeth when she spotted the bulky silhouette of the beast stomping through the entrance of the—thankfully—evacuated city. Lucy assumed she had been unconscious for at least two hours if the city was relatively empty.

Conjuring up a plan in her mind, Lucy heavily flapped her wings, and lunged forward at the speed of a hummingbird.

* * *

Natsu forcefully burst through the doors of Fairy Tail with a sweat bidden forehead and an erratic breath.

"Natsu!" Erza reacted, glaring solemnly.

He didn't respond. He felt rather than heard Dragon Claw enter in a less tempestuous way, minus the brunette and the guy, Maya and Ivy, who had arrived just as short-winded as he had. The guild suddenly stopped whatever they were all doing to stare at the newcomers, some shocked, some curious and some scared. Natsu knew why most of them were wary. If Master Daniel's magical aura was intimidating even to him, he couldn't imagine how the others felt about this man.

"Natsu, what is going on?" Master Makarov spoke up, sliding from his usual seat on the bar counter.

"Greetings," Master Daniel said, before Natsu could reply. "My name is Daniel and these people are mages, members of my guild, Dragon Claw."

"Dragon Claw?" the white haired barmaid repeated, glancing at Erza, who creased her brow.

"Never heard of it," Master Makarov said bluntly. Master Daniel smiled briefly.

"That was generally my intention, not to be acknowledged. The reasons behind this decision of mine are a story for another time however, for we have a bigger problem awaiting us."

"There's a demonic beast that feasts on humans on its way to Magnolia," Aiden piped in and a few gasps resounded around the hall. "The city has already been evacuated, hence the silence you can hear outside. All we can do now is wait to see if the beast really shows up in the city and we would like to request your help to defeat it, if it's not too much to ask."

"Nonsense."

Maya blinked in surprise, guessing most of her guild comrades did too, at the Master of Fairy Tail's determined tone. Some of the mages surrounding him were actually smirking in pride, chin up and eyes glistening in courage. This guild was known for its teamwork, maybe they happened to be as powerful as rumors forebode.

"There is nothing my brats can't face. Bring this beast, we'll take care of it."

Next to her, Ivy raised an eyebrow. "You believe us?"

Makarov shrugged. "I don't see any reason as to why you would lie about something so serious."

"We're not."

"Good."

Ivy smirked slightly when the old geezer grinned brilliantly at him. A few feet from the short man, an armored redhead with a stern expression and clear authority posture stepped forward. She had to be Erza Scarlet, the Titania.

"You said 'if the beast really shows up'," she said, looking pointedly at Aiden. "What is the meaning of it?"

"Our partner," Ivy explained, gesturing to him and Maya, "one of the strongest mages of this group, was left taking care of it while we warned the city watch to take care of the citizens."

"And who is this strong mage?"

Maya wanted to grin in triumph, to rub the truth of the recent events in their faces, but the severity of the situation only allowed her a wrinkled brow and slightly puckered lips. Ivy seemed to share the same reaction.

"Should we tell them?" Garrett suddenly asked, eyeing Master Daniel. The dark haired man simply shrugged and subtly stared at his daughter.

"Tell us what?" Erza pressured, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"That's up to her, don't you think?" Ivy whispered loud enough for only Maya to hear. She nodded and stared back at the scarlet haired mage.

"You'll see. Or hopefully not."

"Meaning, we hope our partner managed to take care of the situation," Ivy added, to prevent angry reactions at being left out. He thought it was ironic though, they should experience it.

Maya was shocked and relieved when the Fire Dragon Slayer remained silent at their quirky hints, but she could see he was clenching his jaw and glaring at a corner of the guild to stop himself from throwing a tantrum and revealing who was the one taking care of it. Maybe he didn't believe it himself that it was her, Maya couldn't tell.

"Also, this little girl," she spoke up, placing her hands on Ruby's thin shoulders. "She's a survivor from Onibus. She should be lead to safety, and I think she has a few wounds."

At her words, a dark blue haired girl stepped forward, a white furred Exceed not far behind. She sported bright smile and held her hand out for Ruby, who only shrinked further onto Maya's body. Wendy Marvell, the Sky Dragon Slayer.

"It's okay, I'm going to help you," Wendy said tentatively, smiling wider when Ruby hesitantly took her hand. "I'll stay with her in the infirmary and when the beast is here I'll come back to help."

Master Makarov nodded, and the two young girls left.

"Should we head outside and split up to wait for the beast?" Erza asked. Master Daniel shook his head.

"We must stay in here. The beast—"

"Actually, Loke named it Bloodthirsty. 'Beast' is starting to get repetitive," Maya interrupted snarkily, but before she realized what she was saying, judgemental and shocked stares popped in the hall.

"Loke?!" a shirtless, midnight haired man repeated in disbelief. By the dark blue mark on his bicep and silver necklace dangling from his neck, Maya assumed this was Gray Fullbuster, a well known Ice-Make mage.

The brunette smacked her forehead with her hand when Ivy sent her a sharp glare and her father sighed exasperately.

"Fuck."

Peter groaned when people started whispering, the name of the Celestial blonde mage circling in the conversation.

"You just had to talk…"

"You just can't shut up, can you?" Rue deadpanned, rolling her eyes.

"Can it, Cougar, as if you care!" Maya retorted loudly, taking up a fighting stance towards the brunette.

"Really? You're going to start a brawl _now_?" Eira said in her usual gentle voice, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Next to her, Araya blinked owlishly, seemingly agreeing.

"SILENCE."

"SILENCE!"

Both Masters from each guild had commanded, Daniel hissing calmly and Makarov screaming maniacally. The whispers were reduced to nothing. Master Makarov turned to Master Daniel, face suspicious.

"Why do we have to stay here?"

"Because the be…" he trailed, and resumed with a cough, "Because Bloodthirsty is coming over here."

"How do you know that?"

Master Daniel pursed his lips. "I just do. And my foretelling never fails."

* * *

"Hey!"

Crashing its overgrown paws over a couple of houses, Bloodthirsty reacted to Lucy's enraged scream. She was rapidly flying in its direction, teeth grinding and eyes turning into sinister slits as she unfurled her Fleuve d'Étoiles from the loophole of her jeans. In a matter of seconds, she was soundly lashing the whip onto the beast's back.

"I'm not done with you!" she warned menacingly, receiving a rabid roar in return.

Lucy was sent flying backwards by the sheer force of the sound, crying out in mid air. She flexed her wings repeatedly with all the strength she could muster, succeeding in stabillizing herself in the air. She hissed. This wouldn't do. She had to get rid of her wings, they were costing her too much magic.

"Where do you think you're going?!" she bellowered, when Bloodthirsty began running over buildings to seemingly escape her.

Out of pure instinct, Lucy stretched her whip to grab onto one part of the beast's body. She only realized what she had done when it wound up tightly wrapped around one of its sturdy horns, consequently dragging her into the frenetic run it was making across town. Lucy screeched, her concentration cracking and her wings vanishing as result, as she tightly held onto her whip and avoided whacking herself onto the scattered houses.

_Oh gods, oh gods, oh—_

She cried out when she dodged the roof of a house out of pure luck. This was bad, this was beyond bad. She had to find a way to either stop it from running or…

Lucy bit her lip and pulled at her whip forcefully, having the desired effect. She was swiftly dragged onto Bloodthirsty's furry back after the whip was shortened at her command, but the situation wasn't exactly getting better. As she glanced up, one eye closed and hands holding fistfuls of fur to avoid falling to her untimely death, horror and panic struck her like an arrow through her chest. Bloodthirsty was running towards _that_ building_._

Fairy Tail.

And they were approaching it _fast_. If Lucy didn't do something soon, they'd crash upon it and it wouldn't be pretty.

"Shit!" she cursed, attempting to stand on her feet but failing wholly. She landed on her back, yelping as she lost grip on the hazardously moving beast, before she managed to hold onto another patch of fur with her hands.

She could see it was getting annoyed and visibly furious with her hanging of its back, and when she reached out a hand to assume control of her dangling whip, Bloodthirsty halted out of the blue, turning to its side. Lucy's eyes went abnormally wide in panic when she spotted Fairy Tail's main window feet away from her, and due to the abrupt stop, she lost her grasp on Bloodthirsty's back and was sent flying towards the framed glass against her will.

Lucy nested her head in her arms, squeezed her eyes closed, and crashed through the window.

She didn't even register she was entering Fairy Tail again. The jabs of poignant pain on her body, the crackling sounds of the window breaking into shards and the fright of uncontrolled movement were all that circled in her head, as she cried out in absolute fear and landed on the floor with an extense of startling, loud _cracks _down her body_._ In the remnants of the momentum, she rolled over repeatedly, ending face flat on the floor with her golden locks spread over her head like a halo and her whole body screaming in agony.

"_**Lucy!**_"

In that scream, through the panic, pain, worry and sheer _dread_ roaring in it, Lucy could recognize that voice anywhere. She'd never thought she'd hear it again, and she had never felt so _happy_ with it in her whole life.

She then heard an escalating myriad of voices that were equally recognizable and just slightly less panicked than his, resounding and quick steps approaching her trembling figure. Lucy kept her head down, her hair curtaining her face, because even through all the pain in her body, she still knew who these people were and what they had done to her. With a breathy whimper, she raised her right hand, which had a rather large shard of glass jutting out, and shook her quivering wrist to dispose it to her left. In the smooth transparent material, crimson red trickled from the pointy end to stain the polished floor.

"Fuck, Lucy!" he cried out, and then his overly welcoming, warm hands were grasping her forearms and helping her to her knees. Her head was still down. "Luce!"

"Oh gods, Lucy!" she heard Maya yell, and another pair of hands was checking her body for fatal injuries.

That pair of calloused hands she was so accustomed to slid up to her face then, through her hair, gently thumbing her cheeks as if she was a porcelain doll at the verge of breaking. She still refused to look up, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes for being in his presence again and feeling unstoppable waves of pain rush through her fragile body. How was she still _alive_?

"Shit, somebody get Wendy!" she heard someone say. Gray.

"Lucy," he, who Lucy wanted to hear the most, said. Softly, gently. "Luce. Look at me."

She didn't. She stubbornly kept her head bent.

"Lucy…"

Oh gods. Why did he sound like he was about to cry? She was the one already tearing up…

Realization hit her then. Bloodthirsty. Outside. _Inches away from the guild._

"Bloodthirsty," she mumbled, or thought she did. "Maya… beast… outside…"

Lucy didn't even hear herself, but fortunately she was in the presence of two Dragon Slayers. No, three. Ivy had rushed to her just a few seconds ago, sounding extremely worried.

"Bloodthirsty is right outside." Maya.

"Well, shit." Ivy.

"What do we do?" Maya.

Her answer proceeded to soundly crash through the guild's front wall—literally. As the ground shook violently, Lucy peeked through a few strands of hair, her heart thumping when she briefly spotted a chiseled torso with a dark vest and a white scarf dangling over it, and saw Bloodthirsty. It had knocked over several tables and chairs, not to mention the entrance and the second floor of the guild were ruined. A raspy cough escaped her burning throat.

"Lucy," he whispered, and she could swear she felt a wet, soft sensation on her forehead. "Don't move. I'll be right back."

She wanted him to stay. So badly. Yet she didn't have a say in it and she knew it.

The moment he left her side, she spotted his pink mane through her hair as he ran to join Erza, Gray and countless others in the fight. Only Wendy wasn't with them, because she was now kneeling next to her with a green mist irradiating off her hands.

It was then that Lucy decided to look up. Wendy was staring at her with tears pouring down her cheeks, her eyes filled with an odd mix of worry and relief in the chocolate irises. Right next to her, and still touching her shoulder, was Maya eyeing her with a similar stare, minus the crying, and Ivy was frowning at her. Lucy inhaled deeply, wincing when her chest burned.

"Lucy-san, try not to move, you are badly hurt," she instructed sweetly, her voice slightly croaked from crying.

"Wendy," Lucy managed to whisper. "Thank you…"

The blue haired girl nodded her head, sniffling slightly. "I'm just so happy that you're back, but I'm so sad to see you hurt…"

Despite it all, Lucy laughed breathlessly.

"Ice Make: Geiser!"

"Water Slicer!"

"Club of the Iron Dragon!"

"Blumenblatt!"

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!"

Lucy pursed her lips when hearing the last magic spell, and not for who was responsible for it.

"It's no use…" she said, her voice finally sounding the least normal. "Bloodthirsty has scales. It's fireproof."

"Erza-san and the others are also taking care of it," Wendy reassured, still performing her healing ministrations on the blonde.

Lucy blinked tiredly and tilted her head to watch the fight, ignoring the sore pain nestled on the top of her left breast. As presumed, the beast was still standing and the bruises gained from both her and Fairy Tail's attacks did nothing to affect it. She drifted her eyes over the combatants, easily spotting Levy as well, who was doing her best with her Solid Script magic. Her eyes then landed on a patch of salmon spiky hair, on him.

"Natsu."

The name slipped off before she could stop it, in a whisper.

"He's been awfully worried about you ever since you left, Lucy-san," Wendy said softly, smiling to make her feel better. Lucy didn't show the surprise she actually felt upon hearing that bit of information.

"Ne, Wendy," Maya suddenly said, creasing her brow. "are her bruises supposed to be like that?"

"No…" the young girl replied, slightly panicked. "I'm getting worried, m—my magic isn't working on her!"

"Don't fret," Ivy said calmly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We know why. Lucy can explain it to you later."

"Speaking of which, why haven't you healed yourself yet, Luce?" Maya questioned, suspicious. Lucy gulped loudly.

"For some reason, I'm running out of magic."

"What? But that's impossible, you have an endless vessel of magic within you," Ivy reminded, taken aback. Wendy blinked in confusion at the new term.

"I do believe Master Danny's words, but I think there's a catch he didn't tell me about," Lucy muttered, rubbing her left arm. She winced when another wave of pain pulsed through her abdomen.

"Ah great," Maya said, exasperated. "He believes in learning on the job."

Lucy didn't answer. She decided to drift away from the conversation to focus on the fight, on Natsu. He was bouncing restlessly and skillfully across the floor as he dodged Bloodthirsty's paw, which instead collided with the opposite wall. A few cracks appeared in it, threatening it to collapse like the front of the building. Lucy let her eyes go half lidded. The guild was crumbling to pieces and it was all her fault. Why did she always manage to make a mess of everything?

"Lucy-san, you can heal yourself now?"

The blonde didn't stop staring as Natsu conjured up more fire, nodding ever so slightly as answer. She saw him shout out 'Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!' and land a punch on Bloodthirsty's large snout, the attack echoing off the walls. The beast roared in fury, its head sent to the right and its belly momentarily exposed. Lucy narrowed her eyes when a paw moved almost instinctively to protect a light blue spot on the area where chest met stomach.

_There._ That was its weak spot and she felt it. Maybe Crux had researched for her in the meantime, because she was absolutely certain that was where they needed to strike.

The problem was that nobody saw it but her. They kept attacking blindly in hopes of landing some damage, but nothing would work except tear through that blue spot. Lucy pursed her lips in anger. It was all happening like always—Natsu and the others fighting while she was kept in a corner like some damsel in distress.

No. She was no longer _weak_. She wanted to be the one to accomplish her wishes for once this time. And accomplish she would.

Ivy, Maya and Wendy were not exactly tending to her now. With every ounce of strength and magic she had left, Lucy took that chance to force herself up to her feet. Her legs screamed like there was no tomorrow, but she didn't care. Ignoring her nearby comrades' words for her to sit down, she started running like her life depended on it, eyes solely tied to the blue area that was luckily exposed.

"Lucy!" she heard Maya call, loudly. _Too _loudly_._

Lucy saw all eyes in the whole place land on her, and only one pair of an onyx color managed to convey his anxiety and fear at her bold move. The blonde felt yet another rush of pain, to which she reacted by releasing a war howl. Bloodthirsty then looked at her, recognizing her immediately.

"Neptuno Glacie: Sword!" Lucy cried out, in mid run, bending her hands to her right as ice began forming in her hands. "CLAYMORE!"

Ice obeyed her command by shaping itself into a perfectly sculptured sword, the blade long and sharp. Lucy ran through the group, her guildmates actually stepping back to allow her to pass, and she gritted her teeth as adrenaline pumped in her veins. She gave three long steps before jumping high in the air, ice sword firmly gripped in her hands and angled expertly.

"Martis Vis: Strength of the **Dragon**!"

A rush of power surged through her arms like she desired, and with a battle cry that sloppily distracted her from the increasing pain on her chest, Lucy merged the blade into that cyan area so hard that her hands went with it and swam in hot blood, under the flesh.

Bloodthirsy released a roar, and this time, it was purely out of pain. Lucy retracted her hands, watching with irregular breathing and awkwardly raised over her head arms as the beast fell to the side, so heavily that the ground shook like an earthquake. She stepped back, allowing the bloodied blade to slip inches away from her back and land on the floor with a wet slam. The world started spinning in her eyes as she struggled to turn around, the pain hitting her at full force as punishment for her naïve behavior. Blood wet arms falling to her sides, Lucy saw every single stare of astonishment and shock that Fairy Tail gave her, one particular stare irradiating _pride._ Lucy parted her lips and tried to maintain her eyes open, but her body had other plans. Pain began overriding her senses in every way imaginable and her knees bucked weakly.

She was about fall yet again onto the floor, before a familiar pair of warm and muscular arms caught her.

* * *

**SORRY! JUST ONE MORE CLIFFY AND I'LL SPARE YOU AS MANY CLIFFHANGERS AS I CAN!**

**6409 WORDS. DON'T YOU DARE COMPLAIN AND SAY IT WAS A SHORT CHAPTER, BECAUSE THIS IS BY FAR THE ****LONGEST.**

**I loved writing this chapter, I really did. It's one of my favorites! When Lucy decided to stand up and act all like 'I'm a boss ass bitch'? **_**Priceless.**_** I hope you guys loved it as much as I did. Also, how many times have I made Lucy faint in this fic…? TEEHEE.**

**Guys… I'm getting tired of all the 'UPDATE SOON' reviews. It's fine if you say that in the end of your opinion on the chapter, but don't just tell me to update soon without even telling me what you think of the chapter. It's annoying and it feels as if the chapter wasn't properly read. So, please say 'update soon' or something only after giving me a good review.**

**You know, this fic was supposed to end in like, six chapters from this one on, when I first started writing it. But it got a whole new development and I think I won't be done with this fic until chapter 35 or something. YOU LUCKY BASTARDS.**

**REVIEW BECAUSE THERE'LL BE A NALU MOMENT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! You don't and I make other plans that don't involve the fluffy moment. (Okay yeah, I need to tone it down on the threats.)**


	19. Found

**You know what I've been watching lately? American Dragon: Jake Long. Ahh, old memories... I'm obsessed with it now for some reason.**

**Okay… so maybe I postponed the NaLu moment into the next chapter. SORRY! I PROMISE IT'S THERE! And it's _wow_…**

**OKAY, if anyone were to ask, the song that I like to listen while writing this fic, is Take Flight by Lindsey Stirling. I actually consider it to be some sort of theme song for When Stars Align. Listen to the rhythm and the beat… yeah, this fic is gonna get awesome and epic like that. You'll see.**

* * *

Natsu had never, ever, _ever_ felt so scared before in his life as to when he saw Lucy crash through the window of the guild like a human bullet. It was Future Lucy dying all over again. He had been frozen in the spot, watching with horrorstruck wide eyes as she screamed in utter fear and hit the ground with a string of _cracks_ that couldn't be in any way ignored. He could only stare, heart hammering in his chest with fear, as the most important girl in his life basically plummeted herself into her death. _Near _death, thankfully.

Once she was arching herself off the floor with a pained whimper, he was the first to react.

"_**Lucy!**_"

His voice had come out needy, pained and positively _scared_ and all he wanted was to get to her. He wanted to hug her tight and never let her leave his arms again, wanted to erase her pain away by holding her close, but he couldn't bring himself to do any of it. When he did reach her, she had firmly kept her head down, refusing to look at him.

It broke his heart a little.

She was wounded in every corner of her body. He hyperventilated at the blood that seeped onto her clothes and onto exposed flesh, and felt like tearing up each time she winced at the amount of pain she must have been feeling. Natsu expected her to look different, to look stronger. Not _hurt._

He also didn't expect her to fly through the window of the guild, per se, prior to their reunion.

He had wanted to find her, to be by her side again, but not like _that_. Not scarce inches away from what would have likely been her death. He finally found her, but the situation pretty much exceeded his expectations, in the wrong way. The only time he actually got to see her face—and their eyes didn't even meet—was when she saw the large shard of glass impaled on her right hand, which she shook off with a whimper that only made him run to her side faster. By then, he didn't give a shit as to how sweaty and wretched she looked or how much she had changed over the months, but now he saw it. Her right hand. It didn't have that pink Fairy Tail tattoo he was used to seeing.

And her left hand. It had a new tattoo. It was scarlet red, resembled a vortical dragon and was _not _the Fairy Tail mark. It was strikingly similar to the ones he had seen on Maya's wrist, Ivy's neck and Master Danny's right palm.

Dragon Claw. She had joined Dragon Claw. It was clear since those two Dragon Claw mages, Ivy and Maya, Dragon Slayers, her new partners, had pratically leaped to her side when she reached the floor in that painful way. They only got there after Natsu, though.

At the time, it hadn't particularly bothered him, the mark. He was too busy tending to her bruises and trying to make her look at him in the eyes. Which she hadn't. He tried, in vain, to raise her chin with his hands, to make her stop facing her scraped knees in shame. She stubbornly kept her eyes, those chocolate brown eyes Natsu had missed so much, away from his own. And he just wanted to pull her to his chest and bury his nose in her hair, he just wanted to amend himself and apologize and tell her that everything was alright, that she was safe with him now. But she avoided his eyes like a plague.

Until _that _happened.

Out of everyone in the room, he was probably the most shocked. A feeling of absolute panic, fear and newfound anger rushed to his chest the moment he heard Maya scream out her name, and it only intensified when he saw Lucy running towards him as fast as her injured legs could carry. He prepared himself to stop her, after breaking out of his shock, but thought better when her hands extented to her right and a weapon magically appeared in her grasp.

An ice sword.

Natsu was stunned beyond belief. A Celestial Spirit mage with an _ice sword. _He thought he was delusional, that there was no way she could be holding a sword made out of material that contradicted her own magic, but Lucy was running in his direction, face contorting ever so slightly in pain, hands firmly clinging to that deadly Claymore, and he knew it was all real. What had surprised him the most was the clear-sighted look she held and her teeth grinding in a mix of determination and affliction, and Natsu couldn't help but step back and let her go for it.

Which she gods damn did.

Natsu had never, _ever_ seen Lucy act like that. She was screaming, unleashing her best battle cry as she lunged for the beast, jumping high in the air and gathering yet another type of magic he had never heard her use, to attack a spot everyone had failed to notice but her. That pinched him with pride and astonishment for her. Everyone had been working extra hard to knock down the human eating monster, doing their very best—even _Erza_ had been having trouble—when Lucy pratically sashayed into the battle and took it down with one fell swoop.

He had a lot of questions for her.

Natsu had seen her bury the blade into the blue area, which everyone then realized was Bloodthirsty's weak spot, and he staggered in anticipation when she stumbled back, arms raised with blood dripping all the way down to her elbows. She then lost strength in her hands, the one with Dragon Claw's tattoo just as bathed in blood as its twin, and Claymore slid to the ground, before shattering into innumerous pieces and vanishing with a speck of bright blue.

It was then, when she weakly turned to face everyone, that black finally met brown. Natsu didn't say a word, much like everyone else in the hall, which was absolutely _silent_. He saw every emotion swimming in her eyes, pain, joy, sorrow, fear… and he felt guilty for all of them.

He was there to catch her, when she lost consciousness. He would always be there to catch her.

"Wendy!" he had called, his voice rough. The small Wind mage had immediately understood, rushing to his side in a heartbeat.

"Take her to the infirmary!" Mira instructed with an anxious voice.

Tucking Lucy's head under his chin and securingly carrying her with her legs dangling off his arm, Natsu pratically ran all the way to the hospital wing, followed by Masters Makarov and Daniel, Maya, Ivy, Wendy and Gray. Erza had tagged along shortly after stopping Levy and a few more others from going, seeing as Lucy was already swarm with enough company and needn't anyone else pestering her rest.

After Wendy's ministrations and a change of clothes, Lucy was fine. Apart from still being unconscious, she was fine. In fact, Wendy was only there to help with bandaging her wounds. He had witnessed, before Master Daniel explained why, the blonde's body being consummed by an emerald green glow that matched Wendy's healing magic. The glow took care of all of her bruises, internal wounds and bleeding included, returning Lucy's cheeks into that healthy rosy color and making it look more like she was peacefully sleeping. Master Daniel made it clear that this was part of her new magic, something he didn't have the authority to explain and that Lucy would enlighten them all when she felt ready to do so.

Her hair was longer, Natsu realized, as he studied her sleeping form that rested in one of the infirmary beds. Her golden locks laid all over her head and she was shielded by a warm blanket from down her neck. Her face was still the same, despite looking a bit more slender, as her eyes were also the same. Her hair was different, her body was different. Longer. Thiner and stronger.

Four days. She'd been unconscious for four days now. Wendy had reassured him, saying it was normal because she had suffered several broken ribs, one concussion and countless shards of glass buried throughout her fragile body, one particular large and sharp that protruded out of her left breast. It had barely missed her heart, according to Wendy. Natsu had gritted his teeth at the amount of blood on her shirt, and was amazed at how she was able to stand and run for it with all those injuries. He did it all the time in battle, like taking up a challenge, but seeing Lucy do it was a whole nother story.

Natsu inhaled deeply and crossed his leg over his knee, leaning his chin on his hand while setting his elbow on the armrest of the chair. Any minute now, Lucy would open her eyes. And he had to be there to see it. He had to be there to welcome her, to set things straight.

Actually, he had no idea of what to say when she woke up. He groaned. Natsu Dragneel, known for his touching speeches, couldn't come up with the right words to tell the woman he treasured when she woke up.

"Still nothin', huh?"

Natsu grumbled, glancing at the entrance of the infirmary by the corner of his eye, as he recognized a human scent that hinted cold. Gray stood there, arms crossed over his bare chest and a slight frown emerging in his face. His stare was fixated on the sleeping blonde Natsu had been tending to over the last few days. As if to break the tense silence, Gray wheezed.

"To think Lucy single-handedly defeated that monster…" he said, sounding genuinely surprised. "How powerful has she gotten?"

Natsu didn't answer. He rather preferred to stare at Lucy, completely zoned out of everything around him except her, lest he missed those brown eyes slipping open.

"Hey, flame breath."

Natsu still didn't answer.

"She'll be fine."

The Fire mage still didn't look away from her, but he replied this time, "I know."

"Then stop exhausting yourself, ash for brains. She'll wake up. It'll happen when it happens," Gray said, nonchalantly. Natsu failed to notice the faint reassuring tone behind the aloofness.

"I want to be there when she wakes up."

He felt Gray's hand briefly pat him on his shoulder. "You will."

Natsu heard him shuffle away from the seat, the question leaving his mouth against his will, "What do I say to her?"

Gray leaned onto the door frame, glancing at the female in question with half-lidded eyes and crossed arms.

"Apologize," he said, quietly. "On yours and the guild's behalf."

"And how do I do that?" Natsu spat. "As far as I know, there's a chance she won't forgive any of us."

Gray inhaled. "True."

Natsu closed his eyes tightly, feeling his chest squeeze all over his lungs. He had to let it out to someone or he'd go insane.

"I love her."

To his surprise, the ice alchemist chuckled in response, smirking.

"I thought it was crazy at first, but I had my suspicions," he admitted, glancing at the girl in question. "How did_ you_, freaking Natsu Dragneel, manage to realize that?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsu asked, with a scowl. Gray waved him off.

"Just answer the question."

Natsu seemed to ponder on the words for a full minute, before he finally eyed the Ice-Maker.

"Long or short version?"

"Whatever floats your boat."

He sighed, removing his hand from his chin. He stood silent for a moment, eyes always fixated on the blonde.

"When Future Lucy died right before my eyes, I began realizing that what I felt for Lucy had to be more than just a crush. Yeah, I had realized I looked at her as more than a friend before that. Obviously, up to that point, it had been always clear to me that I grew to like her in that way. I didn't call it love because…" he paused. "Because even I know that's a very strong feeling and I wasn't completely sure. Since so much shit was happening at the time, with Future Rogue and the dragons, I didn't dwell on it too much.

"And when we came back to Magnolia, when we…" he breathed in through his mouth, and Gray stiffened, knowing the outcome. "When we decided to catch up with Lisanna and spend some time with Mira and Elfman, it completely slipped my mind. Since we… _ignored _Lucy, what I had always thought about her was ignored too."

Natsu disregarded Gray's teeth grinding, even though his own were trailing the same path.

"Until," he restarted, after a deep sigh, "I read a letter Lucy left for me, before she left herself."

"A letter?" Gray questioned. Natsu gulped, replacing his chin under his hand.

"A love letter."

Gray remained silent for a moment, before he whistled.

"Call me nosy—"

"Nosy."

"—but I gotta hear this storyline."

Natsu glared at him, to which Gray raised his hands defensively.

"Short version, fire brain."

Natsu tsk'ed, and sighed once more.

"Long story short, she confessed to me in that letter and said she would never see me again."

Gray averted his eyes for a second. "I don't think she succeeded in that last part."

Natsu grinned slightly, staring at the blonde.

"Thank Mavis."

Gray smiled, nodding. He saw the Fire mage gaze at the sleeping girl for a moment, a smirk tugging at his lips, before Natsu looked at him again.

"Lisanna was the one to make me see it, actually. To make me remember. I didn't tell her about the letter, since it was too private for me then, but she saw right through me," he said, and shrugged while staring at Lucy once again, a smile forming in his lips. "She told me that what I feel for Lucy is really love, and after talking a bit more, I remembered. I love Lucy, a lot. I've started loving her way before she even knew that she loves me too."

"I would have freaked out at that if Erza hadn't pin pointed the obvious signs to me," Gray said, and smirked. "Now, I say: took _her _long enough."

"For once you're right, ice freak."

Gray scowled slightly, but smirked, seeing Natsu smiling at Lucy.

"Make sure you tell her that."

After a few seconds of Natsu not answering, Gray decided to officially leave the hospital wing, sending one last warning to the Dragon Slayer to relax and let the things flow. Natsu closed his eyes, pursing his lips.

How could he just _relax_? Him, her partner, her confidant, her best friend, ignored her for three months along with the guild that was supposed to be her family. And, despite all of it, despite how mean and cruel they had been to her, Lucy did the one thing no one expected her to do as payback.

She saved them all.

Suddenly apologizing was turning into thanking her. And comforting her. And making it up to her. Natsu would pointedly do the last one or his last name wasn't Dragneel.

"I'm surprised."

He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the wild haired Dragon Claw mage that stood in the doorway, by the corner of his eyes.

"With what?" he asked bluntly. Maya stepped inside the quiet room, eyes solely atoned to the sleeping blonde on the bed.

"Many things. One of them is how I'm actually allowing you to be here without beating you to a pulp."

Natsu gripped the armrest so hard that the wood earned a visible crack. The Earth Dragon Slayer was unfazed by it, rather glaring at him as if to taunt his temper. He felt a fire burning in his chest, both out of anger for her attitude and guilt for knowing she was right.

"Be my guest," he challenged, scowling at her. For a moment there, he thought he saw a split second expression of repulsion.

"You must be really messed up to the point of considering fighting right next to where Luce is resting," she snipped, and at his eye twitching, she narrowed her eyes angrily. "Yes, I just called her Luce. Got a problem, Salamander?"

He just stared at her. It only infuriated her.

"I just want to punch the living daylights out of you, Dragneel," she spat, gritting her teeth as she stepped forward menacingly. "First you ignore Luce, who is head over heels for you, thus breaking her heart. Then, you just saunter into her life again, right when she was starting to feel happy again, to act like a bitchy ass boyfriend who doesn't allow her friends to give her a fuckin' nickname?"

Natsu remained quiet, mostly because if he spoke, it would be to agree with her wholeheartedly and he didn't want to have his pride damaged in front of this midget.

"Like, it's literally a _name_. I talked to McGarden, she calls her Lu-chan and she claims to have never heard you complain."

He straightened himself on the chair, arms dangling off each armrest. "Why do you care anyway, huh?"

"Because she is one of my best friends and, more importantly, she isn't your girlfriend, Salamander."

Natsu winced, letting his guard down for a moment. She frowned. Maybe that was low blow of hers, but she didn't show her concern.

"And I'm not being competitive. I'm trying to make you see the point: you're just so angry with yourself for letting Luce out of your sight, and the fact that Ivy and I are her new team mates puts one heck of an emphasis on your idiotic mistake."

He kept his eyes on her ferocious emerald green ones, face stoic and unbreakable, when on the inside he was berating himself for knowing it was all true.

"I'm just saying," she said, shrugging as if she was commenting on the weather. "Lucy loves you. A lot."

Yeah. He loved her too, he had loved her for a long time now. And he did read the letter. At least those words were comforting for his chest.

"And hell be damned if you hurt her again. I will personally come down here to crucify you onto one of my trusty willow trees and let your body rot into nature's unforgiving laws."

The appalling and spunky tone in her voice was by no means easy to ignore, but Natsu being… _Natsu_, didn't show a single sliver of fear. They stared at each other for a good half minute, Maya still sporting a sturdy glare and Natsu staring with a burning determination and courage in his dark eyes.

"I'd rather die than hurt her."

She tch'ed, crossing her arms. "Then you might as well be a zombie."

"She has the right to cut the friendship," he snapped, the words clenching in his throat, "she has the right to beat me up and she has the right to hate me."

"Damn straight."

He stared at her with a fiery glare, the ticks of the clock on the wall suddenly all too loud for him. She repositioned herself, changing her weight from one foot to another, and surprised him by losing that pettish gleam in her eyes with a sigh.

"She also has the right to hug you tight, the right to cry on your shoulder for hours on end and the right to love you."

Natsu blinked, startled by her change of approach, but with a wide smile and crossed arms, he nodded.

"She does."

Maya nodded repeatedly, an awkward smile stretching in her face.

"Uh-huh, erm… good talk."

He laughed, giving her one of his trademark grins. Maya gave him a hesitant grin of her own.

"Aside from you killing me if I ever hurt Luce, which I will _never,_ yeah, just peachy," he teased, feeling a little less uptight and more like himself.

"Great. And, when she wakes up, you'll tell her those things you told me, right?"

"Yeah."

"… Make it less cliché."

Natsu wheezed out of relief.

"Ya just saved me. I suck at being romantic and all that crap."

Maya smirked crookedly. "Totally did not see that coming."

"Hey," he said, quietly. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. You're right, it's just a name, but you have to know that I like having my own nickname for her."

"Don't you already do?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He blinked, to which she smirked slightly. "Weirdo."

"Huh?"

"Weirdo. Lucy told me you call her weirdo more often than 'Luce'."

"Oh," he made, grinning. "Yeah. Point taken."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "Okay, I'm off. See ya, Salamander."

"Later, Coyote."

Maya stopped abruptly on the door step, eyeing him with a suspicious glare.

"How did you…?"

He shrugged, grinning. "Your old man. Maya Everhart, the Deadly Coyote! Wasn't it?"

She snickered, waving him off before disappearing behind the opposite wall. He smiled. At least him and one of Lucy's new friends were on good terms now.

"Good talk, huh, Dragneel. But I wonder, will it be the same for the two of us?" a male voice inquired, seconds after Maya's withdrawal from the infirmary.

Natsu narrowed his eyes. Just as he expected, the Water Dragon Slayer stepped into the room with his hands casually shoved on his black leather jacket pockets, and a fake easy going expression on his face. He stopped right in front of the Fire mage, eyeing him down with a dark glint to his icy eyes. Natsu met his stare with a blazing glare of his own, pursing his lips in an attempt to look more intimidating. Another new team mate of Lucy's guild.

A male team mate. Natsu tried to ignore how bitter and frustrated he felt at the words.

"Just so you know, I see blondie as a little sister. Don't get worked up," Ivy stated, almost as if seeing right through him. That feeling of discomfort in Natsu's chest began dissipating at his words. "I'm here to say that if you dare hurt her again, if you dare break her heart again or let her out of your sight again, fire and water will greet each other. Obviously not in a pleasant way."

To prove his point, a few strands of his indigo hair magically morphed into restless streams of water that flowed around his head, changing shape with every blink of his eyes. Natsu didn't even have to react properly for the fist that held his chin up to be caught on fire. Onyx black met aquamarine blue, a spark of recognition in each other's magic as polar opposites. Natsu was always up for a fight and this time was no different (he wanted to take out his frustration on something), but Ivy seemed to have other plans, for he merely smiled and his watery illusion dissolved into his normal mop of dark hair.

"Lucy would kill me if I hurt you, so I won't. Not today, that is."

"Ya think you can hurt me?" Natsu inquired, smirking. Ivy held up his index finger, imitating his lip gesture.

"You don't know who you're talking to, Dragneel."

"Neither do you, Silver."

Ivy raised an eyebrow at him, smirk gone, as he slowly took a seat at the edge of Lucy's bed. His back was facing Natsu, so the pyro mage couldn't really see what emotions ran in his face as he stared at the patient. He heard him sigh.

"This is the third time she's fainted on us," he commented, sounding tired and distressed. Natsu tensed up slightly at the slip of information.

"What? What did she go through to faint three times in five—no, six months?"

"That is a story up for her to tell you," he replied. "But, in case you're wondering, yes, it has to do with the new magic she's acquired."

Natsu narrowed his eyes. "So far this magic has been soundin' bad, seeing Lucy's condition."

"Like I said, a story up for her to tell you."

Silence reigned in the room, Ivy's words hanging in the air like an echo. Natsu saw him get up from the squeaky bed to pat Lucy's hair affectionally, before the water mage turned to him with a serious expression.

"My father knew Igneel."

Natsu's eyes burst wide, and he rattled against the chair while struggling to get up. His muscles ached for sitting for days, just waiting for her to open her eyes, but he ignored the bliss to focus on Ivy's revelation.

"You know where the dragons are?!"

"That's not what I said," Ivy retorted, scowling a little. "My father, Aquolium the Water Dragon, had a bit of a frenemy relationship with Igneel. I just wanted to point that out."

Natsu deflated, inhaling sharply. It didn't really lift his spirits. But then, a question he'd been meaning to ask struck his mind.

"How did Coyote find her dad?"

Ivy creased his brow, levelling his head forward in utter confusion, "The who now?"

"Maya."

"Ah," he made, repositioning his back. "That's… really hard to explain. Master Danny just happened to find her years after Herbalie, the Earth Dragon, left her as well. Stuff happened, they found out they were related and she's been under his care ever since."

"Her magic feels different from all the other Dragon Slayers I've met," Natsu pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Almost like… like she's not really one."

To his surprise, Ivy didn't comment on it. Maybe the Water mage had been having his share of suspicions as well. Ivy looked at the opposite wall with a slight frown, before he stepped towards the door with his hands on the same position as to when he had gotten in. He eyed Natsu over his shoulder, stare unreadable.

"Don't let Lucy down."

And then he left, just as the Fire mage muttered a, "Not anymore."

He fell back onto the hard chair, wincing when his knotted back made contact with the curvy surface just behind him. He needed a good night's sleep. Natsu glanced at the still sleeping blonde, grimacing his lips and crossing his arms.

Preferably in Lucy's bed, after she'd woken up. With her. Tucked in his arms.

He groaned exasperatedly, only grinning because he didn't really feel like laughing too much. It sounded good, _so_ good, but she'd beat the shit outta him if he just dragged her along without her consent. With a shake of his head, the salmon haired mage leaned against his seat, when another visitor made its presence known to him. Annoyance almost got the best of him and he turned to snap at the intruder in the room, irritated with the surplus of people checking up on her, but when he saw the cat slowly floating to stand on the fluffy pillow and facing Lucy's partially covered face, Natsu instantly relaxed. He looked so sad.

"Lucy…" Happy whimpered, touching her forehead with his tiny blue paw, "I'm so sorry."

Natsu deflated, eyeing both his best friends with a frown. Even Happy. Even Happy felt guilty for what happened. The Fire mage closed his eyes when the Exceed broke into a small wail, tears rolling down his furred cheeks as he eyed Lucy's unconscious state. Natsu tried so hard to keep his own tears from bursting forward, pressing his hand to his eyes with gritted teeth.

It was his fault. She got hurt and it was his fault. If he just hadn't let himself get distracted, if he just hadn't ignored her, none of this would have happened. Lucy wouldn't have left, she wouldn't have felt lonely and she wouldn't have gotten herself into danger if it weren't for his stupidity and ignorance. How did he let it happen, anyway? How did he lose track of time? How did he let himself ignore one of—no, the most important person in his life?

Laxus was right. It was his fault she left in the first place and there was no way she would forgive him. Natsu could cope with that, because he knew as clear as daylight that he deserved it, but he couldn't bear to continue being just her friend. He'd been her friend for too long and if she decided that… he could wait. He didn't want to be just her friend, but he'd wait for her if she requested time.

He wanted more than just friendship with Lucy. He could wait if she so desired, but he would always want to be her partner in every possible aspect. But could he be that to her when there was the possibility of Lucy never forgiving him?

That question was what echoed in his mind as his head bobbed up and down in exhaustion and his black eyes slowly slid to a close, the last image imprinted in his sight being a teary Happy curling up against a sleeping Lucy.

Later that day, Natsu didn't see her fingers twitching involuntary and her eyes quivering open.

* * *

**I AM THE TROLLMASTER OF CLIFFHANGERS. Seriously, I'm just too cruel. Muahahahah. But there won't be one in the next chapter, I promise.**

**Sorry, the chapter is a bit slow, but at least we get to see Natsu's reaction and Lucy's condition. And Maya's iconic nickname, the Coyote.**

**REVIEW, OR NO NALU MOMENT NEXT CHAPPIE. Actually, there will be a NaLu moment, whether you like it or not. So… this time, REVIEW AND I GIVE YOU A CUPCAKE! :)**


	20. Broken Embraces

**Okay, this one starts out pretty funny, but it gets SUPER serious. Prepare yourselves for some angst and NaLu fluffiness overload. Here it is, folks, the long awaited reunion. Also, want a little **_**spoiler**_**? Go to my deviantart account (sweetimagination13) and search for a certain edition of Lucy on my gallery. Something similar might happen later on…**

**To the ones who were expecting Lucy to hold a grudge against Natsu and that she'd never forgive him: ****My apologies.**** To the ones who were expecting a saucy, intense NaLu moment: ****Congratulations.**

* * *

Lucy was pretty sure she was having either a strange dream or a distorted nightmare.

She woke up to an unrecognizable bed, a shirt that clearly wasn't hers and a pack of smells in the air that reminded her of pain killers and old bandages. Not to mention there was something heavy on top of her legs that impeded her from getting up, something warm and round. Lucy growled, slightly kicking it, only to freeze when it groaned out of frustration.

No. It wasn't a something. It was a someone. Someone _blue._ With _fur._

"L—Lucy…?" the Exceed muttered in a sleepy voice. "Is that you, are you awake?"

Wait. Back peddle, _back peddle_. Bloodthirsty. Broken windows. Frustrated cries. Pain. So much _pain._ Where was she? Had it all been a dream?

"H—Happy?" Lucy whispered, irresolutely. No… It had all been real. She had faced the monster and survived. She was back in Fairy Tail.

Lucy thought it had been all a nightmare. All the blood, the pain, the bruises, the crying, the fighting. It seemed to be too much to be real. She wasn't capable, no human was capable, of standing up with several cracked ribs and a dangerously large shard of glass sinking in the left breast like a malfunctioning ship. A glass ship sinking in crimson red.

And yet, she wrecked the charts, and managed to be capable.

"Lucy! It really is you!" Happy's voice cut in, loud, relieved, sad, all at once. And reality struck her. Happy.

"BOGYAH—!" she began screaming, before slapping her hand over her mouth to silence herself. There was a very good reason, one that made her cheeks go cherry red and her heart drum like music in her chest, as to why she should be small and quiet like a bunny.

That reason was sitting, rather uncomfortably like, on the chair across her bed, neck tilted painfully to the right with rosy strands falling over closed eyes, and crossed arms over a bare chest that heaved slowly in deep sleep.

"Na—" _tsu!_ Her mind just had to finish his name and make her heart go wilder than it already had.

Oh gods. He was there. He was right _there_.

"LUCY!"

Her thoughts were broken when her chest became shelter to a very teary eyed Happy, who wouldn't stop muttering her name like a mantra. Lucy, with everything that had happened hitting her like a shower of bricks, felt her own tears come to her eyes as she hugged the Exceed so tight she was worried he couldn't breathe. When he gave no signs of discomfort, she petted his head softly, as if trying to convince herself he was really there, hugging her and crying so loud that she feared Natsu might wake up.

No, she didn't fear it. She was absolutely terrified of having it happen. She didn't know what to do when he opened those dark eyes of his.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy! I'm so, so, so, sorry!" Happy wailed. "We didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!"

"Happy, it's okay, you don't have to apologize!" she whispered, conveying how she really hoped he'd tone it down. "Or cry so loudly…"

"But we were so mean to you, Lucy!" he kept on sobbing, finally tilting his chin up to stare at her, his tears like thin rivers down his furry cheeks. Her own eyes were starting to water noticeably.

With each lip tight against each other, Lucy squirmed her way out of the thin sheets on the bed, wincing when her feet touched the cold tiles of the floor. She struggled to stand on her weak legs, grimacing as she cautiously approached the sleeping figure of Natsu on the chair. Her heart felt like a ticking bomb in her chest with every step she took and her face was redder than her Dragon Claw mark on her left hand, eyes trained on him, waiting for his own to burst open.

"Lucy?" Happy's voice reverberated into the steaming silence, a little too loudly. Lucy glanced at him over her shoulder, holding her finger against her mouth.

She had to make sure this was really him. The last time she saw him, before the whole Bloodthirsty dilemma, it had been Gemini attempting to console her. What proof did she have that justified if this Natsu was real?

"You're in the guild's hospital after defeating a monster, isn't that proof?" Happy questioned. Apparently, she had thought aloud.

"I'm not even sure if that was a dream or if you're even real, Happy," Lucy confessed, voice cracking with the nerves drumming in her body. "There is one thing Gemini can't copy from Natsu…"

"Gemini?" Happy repeated, confused.

She didn't answer, stretching out her hand. She was so unbelievably close to him, her chest going wild at the prospect of this being the real Natsu, but she had to be sure. There was indeed one thing her spirit could not copy from the Fire mage and she remembered it vividly. It had been her and Maya to discover it.

* * *

"_You mean that one of your spirits can turn into whoever you want, as long as it matches your magic levels?" the Earth Dragon Slayer had asked._

_The two girls were in the middle of the woods that surrounded Dragon Claw's cottage, Lucy's Gemini twins out in the air. Maya studied them carefully, a tinge of curiosity in her big green eyes._

"_That's basically it," Lucy said, smiling widely._

"_Hmn, can you make them turn into Ivy?"_

_The blonde glanced at her spirits, the pair nodding with a knowing and mischievous glint in their eyes. The blue creatures came close to each other and, with a poof, turned into a flawless impersonation of the Water Dragon Slayer._

"_Epic!" Maya said, poking his left cheek._

"_And according to them, they did it just by memory. They say I've gotten stronger to that point."_

"_To the point of Gemini being capable of turning into someone just by seeing them?"_

"_Yup," Lucy said, popping the 'p' with a grin. Maya grinned back._

"_Make them turn into Natsu again!"_

_Lucy blinked out of surprise, her cheeks heating up a notch. _

"_W-Why would I do that?"_

_The brunette smirked, catching the stutter._

"_Master Danny said you were capable of doing that, so why not?"_

"_B-Because… because!"_

"_Oh come on, Luce!"_

_The blonde bit her lip in frustration and embarrassment, knowing she wasn't going to win this argument. With a reluctant stare from their Mistress and another burst of smoke, Gemini went from Ivy to Natsu, the copy just as impeccable as usual._

"_And here I was thinking it were just rumors…" Maya muttered, smiling almost mockingly. "Natsu Dragneel does indeed have pink hair."_

_Gemini, or Natsu, smirked slightly at the statement._

"_It's salmon, in his insistence," Lucy said briefly, giggling for a moment, before she turned to the copy with a curious expression. "Where's the scar?"_

'_Natsu' blinked in confusion, "Scar?"_

"_He has a scar on his neck," she explained, gesturing towards the slightly exposed right side of his neck._

"_Ah. We can't copy that scar if we didn't see it. After all, it's always hidden by the scarf and we're impersonating Natsu Dragneel by memory."_

"_That explains it—what the hell are you doing, Maya?!" Lucy said, pratically screaming her last few words._

_The brunette flinched like a deer caught the headlights, and stopped trying to take his jacket and scarf off, smirking as she forced her hands behind her back in a fake innocent posture. Lucy's left eye twitched, arms crossed over her chest and cheeks tinted pink. Maya sputtered._

"_What? As if you don't want to see what he looks like naked."_

"_That's not the point!"_

_Maya wanted to laugh so badly, but that would taint her strategy. She stretched her hand out of nowhere with an agape mouth, "What's Redfox doing here again?!"_

"_Gajeel, again?!" Lucy hissed, turning sharply on her feet._

'_Natsu' pointedly rolled his eyes with a smirk when Maya took the opportunity to tug at the waistband of his trousers, but before she could stare at the area that nagged her curiosity, her ears nearly exploded with the utterly embarrassed shriek Lucy sent her._

"_MAYA!"_

* * *

Lucy still turned pink at the memory. She had no idea as to what possessed Maya to do that, regardless of how curious she was.

All in all, Gemini was uncapable of copying Natsu's scar on his neck. It was, as they had stated, almost always hidden beneath Igneel's white muffler, so that day Lucy concluded that if she ever had to deceive enemies with exceptional sharp eyes by using Gemini Natsu, it wouldn't work all that well. If the Natsu she was staring at indeed didn't have it, she would know it was Gemini.

If he had it…

The blonde narrowed her eyes and inhaled in anticipation when her hand made contact with the scarf, careful to not do anything prone to awaking the Slayer. With a quick yet smooth tug, Lucy pulled the white material and it became partially undone around his neck.

His scarred neck.

Everything turned foggy then. She staggered backwards, hands shaking as her coffee brown eyes trained themselves onto the pale mark that tainted the side of his tanned neck. This was all real. She had encountered Bloodthirsty. She had returned to Magnolia. She had returned to Fairy Tail. She had defeated Bloodthirsty. She had suffered major wounds. She had charged forth regardless.

She was seeing Natsu again.

And, this time, it was no trick.

"Lu… cy?" Happy's voice rang in her ears, so vague, so far away. Her fingers twitched, head bent as blonde blocks fell to mask the tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, and her body trembled like she was at the brim of becoming frozen solid.

Lucy was happy. She really was. She was relieved, overflown with joy, aching to just shake the pink haired Dragon Slayer awake and bawl her eyes out as she screamed his name until her throat went raw, until she heard his voice reply her own. But something overpowered all of those emotions.

Fear.

Be it of rejection, of hate, of reality, she didn't know. She only knew that, while she wanted Natsu to wake up and give her one of _those _huge grins of his, she was utterly terrified of seeing him open his eyes. Of confronting the guild. Of facing the fact that, through all the pain of loneliness and betrayal, she was back to where it all started.

"_Natsu's fucking glad you're gone. The guild said, and I'll quote: it's a relief to have that nuisance away from us."_

Something snapped.

"LUCY!"

She ran. She turned, surpressed a choking sob, and ran out of the infirmary as fast as she could.

It had been Happy to call her, but she paid him no mind. She ventured through the halls nearby, torn between wanting to go back for hearing the guild's loud voices and wanting to proceed escaping from Natsu. She began panting through her sobbing, her bare feet often slipping on the tiled floor as she dashed through the back halls of the guild, but she just wanted to get away from everything. She couldn't do it. She couldn't go back to being ignored, especially when this time she was going to be hated. Hated by her family, the ones that supported her for nearly two years. The ones she loved to the bottom of her heart.

Lucy released a loud, desperate cry, and dropped to her knees when she reached a dead end. She was wearing a simple white tee-shirt that reached mid thigh, the cold of the floor tiles seeping into her legs, but she couldn't care less. Her face was buried in her hands while more tears poured from her eyes, body rocking with her occasional hiccups.

"Lucy!"

It was more than one voice. One of them was from the infirmary, and the other was one that accompanied her through her pain. Wiping her runny nose, Lucy stared over her right shoulder.

Happy and Maya. He was sobbing loudly, but he sported the same determined glare the brunette Slayer did, in his own dark eyes. For once, Lucy felt scared of Maya and the burning anger in her bright green eyes.

"Is this your solution to everything?!" Maya accused, gesturing her hand to emphasize her point. _Solution to everything…?_

"W-What?" Lucy murmured, voice hoarse from crying. To her surprise, Happy angrily stomped forward, gritting his teeth with salty water dampening his blue fur.

"**The Lucy I know doesn't run away from her problems!**" he screamed. His tail and back were puffed out in the typical feline menacing manner.

The words triggered something sensible in Lucy's chest, and clumsily standing to her feet, the blonde eyed them with her tears going all the way to her neck.

"Happy, the Lucy you know… isn't here."

Maya blinked and parted her lips, startled at her words. Happy, however, didn't seem to care.

"THEN BRING HER BACK!" he cried, and started hitting her leg with his miniature paws while sobbing loudly. "BRING MY COMRADE BACK!"

With wide eyes, Lucy heard the catmander breathe an intake of air. She was frozen on the spot.

"Lucy doesn't run! She faces her enemies dead in the eye and does all she can do to defeat them!" he kept on wailing. "YOU'RE NOT LUCY! LUCY DOESN'T RUN AWAY!"

A sniffle. Whether it was hers or Happy's, she wasn't sure.

"Bring the real Lucy back…" he bemoaned. "I want Fairy Tail's Lucy back!"

"Happy…" she sobbed, sliding to her knees with her shoulders slumping. Immediately, the Exceed crawled to her lap, and looked at her in the eye, his own packed to the brim with tears.

"Bring Lucy back."

She gritted her teeth, and almost out of instinct, her arms were tightly wrapped around Happy's small form and bringing his head to the crook of her neck. It was only then, when he started sobbing uncontrollably against her shoulder, that Lucy realized how much she missed him. She had missed his gags, his tongue rolling teasingly, his innocence, his jokes—even if slightly offensive, she knew he meant no harm. Because, through all of it, Happy was one of her best friends and she had missed him just as much as she had missed his salmon haired partner.

She also realized the truth behind his words. He was right—she was running. She had ran away from the guild before and she was doing it all over again. It had become a vicious cycle for her, because it appealed to her as the easiest way out of getting more emotionally harmed than she already was. But that was cowardly. That was cowardly, and not how the real Lucy, the determined and prudent Lucy, _Just Lucy_, acted. Fairy Tail's Lucy charged head on in a battle, did her best to defeat her opponents despite being aware of how she was not on par with their magical abillities. Fairy Tail's Lucy was brave.

Dragon Claw's Lucy… was a coward. Dragon Claw's Lucy ran away from her own problems.

Fairy Tail's Lucy was physically weak, but emotionally strong. Dragon Claw's Lucy was the complete opposite—almost magically unbeatable, yet prone to shredding into bits when it came to emotional matters.

The blonde gritted her teeth, fistening the hand that rested on top of Happy's head. She decided she had to start being strong in both ways. Physical strength was dust if the user's capacity of thought and abillity to feel were nonexistent. Someone emotionless with remarkable strength did nothing but hurt the people surrounding them. The same was for someone who did their best to avoid their problems—avoid reality.

And for Lucy, the best way to start fixing her problems was to face Natsu. No matter how heartbroken she felt.

"I'm going back there," she whispered, breathing heavily. "I'll… I'll talk to Natsu. And the guild as well."

At her words, Happy raised his head from her shoulder, eyeing her with clear hope and distress radiating in his stare.

"Really?"

In the rarity of the moment, Lucy gave him a smile.

"Really."

Happy displayed a grin of his own, before throwing his short arms around her neck for a second, much tighter hug. Lucy happily complied, rubbing her face against his ear.

"I missed you, Lucy."

Her smile softened and her eyes closed.

"I missed you too, you dumb cat."

For once, Happy didn't reply, instead tightening his hold on her as answer. Lucy suddenly felt like tears were going to burst again, so she opened her eyes again, only to make eye contact with a gently smiling Maya that was eyeing them both with what seemed kindness in her eyes. The blonde blinked away her tears, and gave her a smile of her own, to which the Earth mage grinned.

Eventually, Happy pulled back from her, rubbing his sore eyes with his small paw. Lucy stretched her legs, standing on her feet and breathing carefully. She would see Natsu. She'd talk to him and then wait to see it all work out. And since she had absolutely no idea as to what would happen, she couldn't help but feel that same sensation at the pit of her stomach that was related to fear.

Lucy stepped forward, already heading towards the path that lead her back to the infirmary, but she was abruptly stopped by Maya's hand on her shoulder. Without warning, the short brunette threw her arms around her in yet another hug. Lucy smiled, retrieving it like she always did, though grimaced at the sudden lack of air provoked by the emerald eyed mage's strength.

"It's good to have you back," Maya said. "You scared me."

The blonde laughed weakly, "To be frank, I scared me, too."

Maya snickered briefly, pulling away from her death grip on Lucy. The blonde stared at her reluctantly, screaming her inner doubts through her hooded chocolate eyes. Maya, knowing her all too well—even if merely for three months and a half—gave her a remarkable smile and a single nod of her head, for the reassurance the Celestial mage craved. Lucy still felt that tremulant sensation doing roundabouts in the gist of her chest, but a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips.

In silence, the three found their way back to the infirmary door all too quickly for Lucy. She stared at the handle like it was going to bite her hand off if she touched it, and if she was a vehicle and her heart was an engine, she'd be driving anyone from Magnolia to the capital in five seconds short. It felt as if the air was being sucked out of her lungs and she could do nothing to stop it.

And yet, Maya's hand on her shoulder and Happy's hopeful stare were capable of diminishing her panic attack to ashes.

"I gotta sort some stuff with Ivy," Maya declared.

"Charle called me today, can't miss that," Happy pitched in.

Obvious excuses for her to face her best friend on her own. Lucy gulped audibly when Maya sent her a hushed 'good luck', everything dawning on her. Natsu was on the other side of the door. Natsu, who she hadn't seen for nearly six months, her partner, her best friend, the one she could always rely on and the one she loved more than she would ever admit.

How would she face him? She felt so _guilty_. Cowardly. How come she could fight a giant monster to its death and yet failed to look at her best friend dead in the eye after a ruthless escape, right under his eyes?

She shook those thoughts away, grasping the metallic handle with a shaking hand.

_Then again, if he's still asleep, I can pretend to have never woken up in the first place. _

She flinched. Maya and Happy wouldn't side with her on that one.

Pursing her lips and abstracting herself from that idea, Lucy turned the knob, the door creaking as she slowly pushed it open. Her heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings as she stepped in, leaving the door wide open, and her jello-like legs threatened to give out at any passing second. However, all of it began to stop when she scanned the infirmary, a frown overriding her face.

Natsu wasn't there.

Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat, lips parting while her eyes gingerly drifted over the empty room. The three beds, hers with the sheets undone, carried no patient, the chairs, the one he had been sitting on particularly, held no watcher. There was no one there. Had she imagined it? The way she had felt the warmth coming off his neck when she touched it told her otherwise. If he had really been there, why wasn't he now?

That checked, for now, she had no major worries. If Natsu wasn't here, she didn't have to face him. That brought both relief and distress to her chest. The fear was gone, but it was replaced by confusion. Should she just lie down on the bed again and try to go back to sleep? That sounded like a peaceful way to temporarily turn off her problems. She knew it was contradicting what she had decided to do, but this time she was admitting she could just deal with her life drama later.

The second Lucy finally felt her anxiety fade and allowed her body to relax, the door was closed.

Her chin immediately went up and her shoulders tensed again, the fear returning to her body ten times worse. The room was so thick with silence that she could clearly hear the intruder's breathing, thus knowing perfectly who had re-entered the room and stood feet away behind her. The whole epiphany she had gotten from Happy was suddenly tossed right through the window—Lucy just wanted to crawl under the bed and hope he just left her to her misery.

She knew it was Natsu at the door. She just did. And, proven by the whole accident with Bloodthirsty, Lucy had great instincts. Knowing it was him made her want to crash through the window a second time if it meant she could escape his judgment.

But her body simply betrayed her. Disregarding the panic that surged through her chest in rippling waves, Lucy slowly turned her head over her left shoulder, eyes wide and lips partly open. Only her head moved—her limbs were frozen like those of glass statues.

Her terrified cocoa brown eyes started by eyeing his figure leaned against the door, taking in the crossed arms over his chest and the mane of shaggy pink hair on his head. When her eyes landed on his face, they were immediately met with a pair of familiar onyx black ones, and her fear brutally intensified at the overwhelming myriad of feelings reflected in them. Although, there was only one that was most prominent, enough to make her shiver.

Anger. So much anger. Lucy recalled seeing this facet of his eyes before, but it had been during his battles. Having that emotion directed towards her made her feel like a really hated criminal. There was also disappointment in that stare, and it did nothing to satiate her worries.

_Say something. Say something. For Mavis's sake, _say something_!_

"H-Hi."

Lucy would have moaned exasperatedly if she wasn't in such a tense situation. While inwardly berating herself, she saw something flash in his eyes at her greeting, his lips taut and gaze hardening even more.

"Hey."

He replied. He actually replied. Suddenly she didn't feel so moronic. And gods, it was _good _to hear his voice again. She had heard him speak to her just after she had crashed through the guild window, but the memory of it was hazy and it was better to hear his voice without all the pain and despair ringing in.

Though she felt strangely attracted to the husky edge his voice was providing, Lucy would rather hear his characteristical and overly cheery voice instead.

She pursed her lips, her nerves only levelling up at the fact that they had talked to each other. Even if it was one word from each mouth. Her legs felt all wobbly again, and she had to drag herself to her infirmary bed, struggling not to stumble and make a fool of herself. She carefully sat on the edge, hands tight on top of her bare legs and head bent to hide her face with her hair. Yet again. It wasn't long before her eyes began burning once more, tears pooling at the corners, but she kept her sadness as subtle as possible. With his enhanced Dragon Slayer senses, the faintest of sobs would be noticeable, and the last thing she wanted was Natsu seeing her cry—seeing her weak.

That was all he'd seen her be so far. No matter how much she tried, how many times she stood up, she'd always go down again and had no other choice but to be saved by Natsu. She always grinned and held her chin up when talking about her spirits and her own fighting skills when, deep down, she considered herself to be weak in comparison to the others. It was not as if she hadn't thought of herself to be a strong mage. She had thought her magic was fair or even impressive, until she joined Fairy Tail. Through all the positive smirks, Lucy was just self-conscious about her powers. That had been the main reason, sided with being ignored, as to why she left in the first place.

A tear went down her cheek before she could stop it. In truth, she was weak. Compared to all the others in her team, Lucy was basically dead weight. And now that the dead weight was back, everyone would be put on edge, and she would be thoroughly hated. Fairy Tail didn't want her anymore. Fairy Tail despised her now. Fairy Tail hated her. Why did she save them? Why did she have to go on that mission? Why couldn't she just have moved on and allowed herself to be happy in Dragon Claw, a guild that accepted her, even if she hadn't gotten that power boost? Maya had firmly declared they would have taken her even if she wasn't on par with the Eight Grand Spells magic. So why on Earthland did she allow herself to go back to the place that compelled her isolation, her sadness, her tears? To go back to the place where her existence would be abhorred?

Lucy trembled with the willpower of her tears wanting to burst free, trying with all her might to not seem weak. Weak, like she always was. Weak, like she always had been. _Weak_, the word repeated itself in her head, _Weak. Weak. Weak. You're weak._

That was her breaking point.

There was no way Natsu didn't hear the sudden hiccup that tumbled out of her chest, or the sniffle she so haphazardly tried to muffle with the back of her right hand. Surely enough, through her failed attempts to silence her crying, she heard slow footsteps approaching the bed, and the mattress creaked with the extra weight that rested right next to her, against her. She saw his hand join her own in her lap, surprisingly lacing their fingers together.

"Luce," he whispered, breathing on her ear. "Look at me."

She sobbed at his request, and before she could think, her head shook negatively, still hanging down. His hand gripped her own tighter.

"Look at me, Lucy."

His tone was louder now, but she stubbornly shook her head again, repeatedly.

"Damn it, Lucy!" he yelled, startling her. The way he sounded, at the verge of breaking down like her, was an utter shock. "Not this again. _Look at me_."

She didn't shake her head this time, but she also didn't comply. Natsu's hand began trembling with her own, much to her surprise.

"Please."

She didn't move.

"Lucy, please, just—just _look at me_."

Her hand twitched beneath his, breath going awry at this cracked voice. Natsu was crying. She wasn't certain if he was openly weeping or merely shedding the scarcest of tears, and despite being against finding out, Lucy finally complied. Her heart was yet again thrown into a lavishing tide of emotions when their eyes met, his dark ones seeing right through her pain and remorses. There was a shimmery glint to his eyes, but no tears were allowed to be out. When he saw her obey his wish, a smile was drawn to his lips, despite the sorrowful mood.

"That's better."

Lucy released a shuddering breath, wanting to break eye contact, but his gaze was so strong that she didn't have the willpower to look away. Their hands were still joined, she noticed, and he wouldn't stop rubbing his thumb over hers, which confused her to no end. That smile that had lingered for a while began to fade, his expression suddenly more serious.

"The letter you wrote."

It was then that her heart started racing, like a runaway train, going faster and faster at every passing second. Natsu gulped slightly, staring fixatedly at her crimson stained cheeks and her widened coffee brown eyes. His thumb rubbed against her hand once more, in an almost reassuring manner.

"Did you mean it?"

With this, Lucy was taken aback. She was expecting him to ask something different, anything but the supposedly love letter she wrote him. To be frank, she had prayed to the heavens that he had forgotten about that overly cliché letter she had written. Apparently, he had not, and suddenly embarrassment flooded her every sense of thought. He had read it. He had read the corny stuff she had written about him and Lisanna and about never seeing him again. The odds were definitely not in her favor.

His intense gaze all over her face reminded her of the fact that he had asked a question, an intriguing and confusing one at that.

"What?" she whispered, slightly creasing her brow. He inhaled deeply.

"Did you mean it, Lucy?" he repeated.

_I love you, Natsu. I want to be with you, to kiss you breathless and passionately, to have you all to myself and be yours, and to hear you reply those little four words that would make me the happiest girl in the world._

Lucy breathed in sharply, the sound coming off as an involuntary gasp. Her cheeks burned hotter than his fire and she felt like she was going to implode at the speed of her heartbeat, the room suddenly all too tense and all too silent. She whimpered in her mind at the current situation. Why, just _why _did she have to write him that letter and assume they'd never cross paths again? Fiore wasn't exactly the biggest country on Earthland. And she wrote it like a sappy piece of a romance novel, no less.

Still, that didn't mean the words were lies.

"Every word of it," she murmured, her voice surprisingly coming out clean and steady. There was an emotion so strong that burned in Natsu's eyes as she spoke, to the point of her heart skipping a beat for the umpteenth time that day, and her eyes became almost immediately downcast as her chin lowered. She was admittingly intimidated by the blazing feeling his dark eyes conveyed.

A soft gasp escaped her throat when his fingers were lodged under her chin and pulled on it, softly but firmly, forcing their eyes to meet time, Lucy could make out severe hints of sadness, desperation and anger in the blackness, that same overwhelming emotion still there and nearly blinding her. His lips were tight and his eyebrows were knitted as he gave her a pointed stare, and she almost felt like pushing her hands on his chest to avoid that fiery aura she knew so well. Natsu was dominant and made her feel powerless.

"Then why did you leave?"

Her heart stopped at the question. The _absurd_ question. Her eyes narrowed.

"E—Excuse me?" she asked, her regular bravery filling her chest and a tinge of indignation in the tone of her voice. Natsu's hand suddenly tightened on hers and his jaw hardened, his breath strained.

"If you love me that much, why did you leave me?" he said, reformulating his previous question.

"Why did I leave you…?" Lucy hissed, in disbelief. It wasn't long before her tone was the complete opposite of a whisper. "Why did you leave, he asks!"

She sprung from the bed, yanking her hand from his in utter outrage and teeth grinding, with her chocolate eyes suddenly displaying hints of shock and anger that Natsu had rarely witnessed before.

"You cannot be seriously asking me that!" she spat, and suddenly all of her happiness and joy at seeing him began being cornered by the bottled up feelings of her three months isolation. All of her anger was pouring out like water bursting from a broken dam.

"Well, I'm asking!" he deadpanned, jumping from the bed to stand inches away from her face. "Why did you leave?!"

Lucy took a step back with her arms raised and hands as fists, the tears breaking free through her fury.

"You insensitive jerk!" she yelled, a sob leaking into the words. "You all ignored me for three months and you were expecting me to just suck it up?! I felt so lonely and my life was miserable, do you seriously think I would just sit there and let myself fall into depression?!"

"I know I messed up, I know I shouldn't have ignored you, but at least you should have tried to get my attention and told me what I was doing!"

"You think I didn't do that?! You think I didn't try?! Every day I would call out for you, tried to make you into going on a mission or something, pratically begged for you to simply look at me again, but every time I tried you just _ignored _me!" she cried out, openly sobbing. "And the fact that it wasn't just you but Erza, and Gray, and Levy and more than half of the guild only makes it worse!"

"I don't remember you calling me!" he countered, but his voice was cracked and he looked as if her words were truth dawning on him.

"Of course you don't, because you didn't even notice! One time I actually touched your shoulder and tried to force you to look at me, but you know what you did? You shoved me! You pushed my hand away, ignored me and turned to Erza as if nothing had happened!"

Natsu froze at her words, eyes widening in disbelief, as she continued crying louder than he had ever heard before.

"Natsu, one thing is Gray or Erza pushing me, but the fact that it was you who did it makes it worse times infinity!" she sobbed. "You have no idea how heartbroken I felt, how lonely I felt, and not to mention how useless I felt!"

"Lucy…" he breathed, frowning heavily. She growled, swiping her arm through the air that stood between them.

"_No_! Natsu Dragneel, you don't get to talk! After ignoring me for months when you were supposed to be my partner and best friend, do you really think I can forgive you?! Do you?!"

He didn't answer.

"Actually, I don't think I want to forgive the whole guild at that! You've all, minus those who were reasonable enough to talk to me, treated me like a ghost or a plague! How can you expect me to forgive you after putting me through the loneliest three months of my life, the isolation painful enough to side with the life I used to have under my father's jurisdiction?!"

Natsu still didn't answer, but his hands were painfully tightened into fists at his sides. He just watched her let it all out, her tears like miniature streams of water down her flushed cheeks. She looked so sad and so angry that he didn't dare stop her.

"How can I just forgive you all so easily, as if nothing happened, just like that?! How do you expect me to just melt at your words and forget how sad I felt during those three months…?!"

Lucy breathed in noisily, and released a tearful scream with her hands clutching at her hair in distress, whimpering ever so slightly. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed, hating the sound of her crying. His heart was torn apart every time a sob left her mouth.

"You know what is the most frustrating thing of all this?!" she cried out.

Natsu gulped, shaking his head, to which she only sobbed harder.

"It's the fact that I am doing exactly that!"

He raised his eyebrows, parting his lips and taking a hesitant step forward. She paid it no mind.

"It angers me how I just instantly forgive you when I look at you, regardless of how much you've hurt me and how much pain you've put me through!"

"Luce…"

"I planned on wanting to hate you, kick you, punch you, scream at you for those three months, but the second I saw your face and heard your voice and saw your smile, it… it all d—disappeared and it makes me so angry!"

"Lucy…" he whispered, approaching her slowly. To his luck, she didn't see it.

"You make me furious, Natsu, you make me angry at how much I love you, to the point of just wanting to jump into your arms and hold you tight and punch you and kick you and kiss you and—all at the same time, gods!" she rambled, crying all the way through it.

"Luce."

He came closer. She didn't notice.

"I love you so much that it hurts, to the point that Gemini had to show up as you and I felt so happy but so heartbroken when I realized it wasn't you and—"

"Lucy."

"—and I want to hate you and hug you and love you—"

"Lucy!"

"Gods damn it I love you so much that it makes me want to forget what you've done to me and just scream at you and—mnphf!"

She hadn't seen it coming. She seriously hadn't seen it coming. All she knew was that one minute she was rambling and yelling at him compulsively, and the other he had her arms tightly seized by the wrists and his lips were avidly crushed onto hers. Her eyes were kept open wide at the shock she felt running through her body, and without so much as a twitch, she let him pin her to the wall, holding her arms up, and pratically devouring her lips.

The kiss was hot, rough and demanding, exactly what Lucy expected from Natsu. Only when he started nipping at her lower lip and making her shiver did she finally react. And, despite feeling incredibly conflicted and clueless as to why Natsu was kissing her, Lucy couldn't help but move her lips in sync with his. He groaned when she responded in a reluctant manner, releasing his forceful grasp on her wrists to gently intertwine her fingers with his, efficiently pouring every ounce of pent up desire he had for her into the kiss. He shivered when she moaned softly, the sound coming close to a feeble whimper, but she did nothing to stop him. Natsu took the opportunity to thrust his tongue into her, coaxing her own, tasting every corner of the moist cavern that was her mouth.

She had to stop him. He was kissing her out of the blue, without a sufficent reason other than to quiet her rambling. But she didn't want to. This was something she never thought she'd get from him, and she just wanted to bask in how he was being so passionate and dominant, wanted to just surrender and let him have his way with her.

She couldn't do that.

When he lowered her arms from the wall to try and wrap them around his neck, Lucy jerked her lips away, gasping for air as her wobbly knees gave in and she fell to the ground. Natsu was equally trying to steady his breath, still holding her hands, staring at her bent head with heavy lidded eyes.

"Sorry," he breathed, grinning devilishly. "I couldn't help myself."

Lucy didn't react as well as he expected. She let her arms fall down, consequently untangling their hands, staring at his feet and refusing to look at his face. Again. Natsu narrowed his eyes, kneeled, and cupping her cheeks through the mass of golden that hung over her face, he lifted her head. Gladly, she weakly complied, but the sight made him flinch and widen his eyes in disbelief.

She was crying again.

"L—Lucy…? I'm sorry I…" he began, gritting his teeth in repentance as she sniffled.

"Do you think this is some sort of joke…?" she whispered. He frowned.

"What?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, teeth grinding as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Leading me on! I think you don't give a crap about romance and then you do this! Is it that amusing, toying with how I feel?!" she screamed, shoving his chest before hiding her face with her hands.

"What?! No, Lucy!" he replied, aghast. He tried to pull her hands from her face, but she just sobbed, falling on her backside to sit with her knees propped up. "Lucy, come on. Please don't do this."

"Do what?!"

"Hide yourself from me. I hate that. Don't do that."

Lucy sniffled, removing her hands from her face even though she really didn't want to obey his request. She stared at him with half lidded eyes and an open mouth for a long time, while his expression was simply unreadable as he gazed at her, sitting with his legs crossed and arms folded over his chest.

"Why?" she whispered, her voice cracking from the still running tears.

"Why what?" he asked, just as softly.

"Why did you kiss me?"

At the words, he gave her an unbelievably tender smile she was certain to have never witnessed before.

"Because I love you."

Her heart stopped. No. Her ears must have deceived her. Natsu Dragneel did _not _tell her he loved her. This was _Natsu_. There was no way.

"I'm serious," she said. He smirked.

"So am I."

She whined, grabbing fistfuls of hair in frustration. "Stop!"

"Stop what?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow as he uncrossed his legs and moved to kneel in front of her. She gasped when he grabbed her wrists, bending to her knees as she attempted to pull away. He was stronger, though, so it was meaningless.

"Stop leading me on! I'm tired of being let down, Natsu, please don't go breaking my heart again!"

"I won't," he assured, voice firm and serious.

"Yes, you will!" she screeched, trying to escape his overpowering grasp.

"No, I won't, Lucy. Trust me."

"No!"

Natsu clenched his teeth, still keeping her wrists inprisoned.

"You're in denial, Lucy," he hissed, to which she merely whimpered while struggling free her arms. "Lucy, look at me. I'm being serious, snap out of it!"

"You can't be serious!" she cried, hiccuping. "Lisanna!"

"She was the one that made me realize it, Lucy, that made me _remember_!" he explained, but it fell on deaf ears.

When she managed to twist her left wrist free and stumbled to her feet, Natsu forcibly tugged on her seized right one, tucking her to his chest despite her wailing and struggling. He locked his arms around her and kept her pressed against him as she thrashed and squirmed in his forced embrace, hovering his lips over her ear.

"I love _you_, Luce, not her. Not anybody else. _You._"

It was a gentle whisper, soothing, enough to make her stop struggling. She stood stiff in his arms for a moment, unreacting when he buried his head on her hair, before she let out a breath and let her body relax. Sensing her moving, Natsu rumaged his hand through her bright hair, and urged her face onto his neck, one of her arms hesitantly snaking around his midriff. They let silence wash over the room, simply hearing each other's breathing.

"Are you serious?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"You… you really… love me?"

"Yes. I love you, Lucy."

Natsu felt her hand grip tightly on his vest.

"Say it again."

He smiled against her hair, closing his eyes.

"I love you."

"… Again."

"I love you."

A sniffle. "Again."

"I love you."

"Again."

He suddenly yanked his face from her hair and placed his hands on her wet cheeks, connecting brown with black, his overly familiar grin drawn to his lips.

"I love you, weirdo."

Lucy sucked in a shuddering breath, another load of tears leaving the confines of her eyes, and with a vibrant sob, she threw her arms around his neck and violently cried against his chest. Natsu slid his arms under hers, hugging her tightly, and pressing his nose back onto her flowery scented hair. He nearly groaned aloud. How he missed her smell.

"Natsu," she sobbed, her chest bobbing as a fleet of hiccups left her mouth. He smiled, moving his lips to her ear.

"Yeah, Luce?"

"Natsu…"

"Yeah."

"Natsu?"

"I'm here, Luce."

She sniffled, nodding her head, as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I'll always be here."

* * *

**HOLY HELL. Remember when I said chapter 18 was the longest? Scratch that, this shit is ****7,581 words long****.**

_**PLEASE READ.**_

**To those who wanted Lucy to hate Natsu and that say three months of isolation is horrible – you know nothing. Don't tell me to put myself in Lucy's shoes, tell Lucy to put herself in my shoes, because I went through what she did with a few differences: it was for two years and I had no Maya and Ivy to help me get back to my feet. I went through it alone.**

**That said, I have experience in what concerns Lucy's problem, and I say writing it like this gives it a realistic touch, because not only is Lucy barely eighteen and clueless, but she's also in love with Natsu. How can you hold a grudge against the one you most care about for a simple mistake? Yes, it's a simple mistake.**

**I have a friend who was part of the group who made me feel alone, and when she realized it, she immediately began redeeming herself. She gave me her share of apologies and has been by my side ever since, subtly promising me that she'll never let it happen again. And this was a friend, guys. I've somehow accepted her apology. Imagine Lucy and Natsu: she loves him. If Natsu does the same as my friend, if he redeems himself, how could she **_**not**_** forgive him? She might never forget it, but that doesn't mean she'll let it haunt her if those who made her feel isolated try to make it up to her.**

**I don't want your pity, because this is not relevant to the plot. I just wanted to make it clear that I'm writing on the behalf of what happened to me, and that Lucy cannot possibly stay mad at Natsu, who's made her dream come true and has been with her through ups and downs, forever. Think about it. If you want a fic where Lucy starts hating on Natsu and their relationship goes jeopardy, I suggest you look elsewhere.**

**Sorry for the long Author's Note. Review what you thought of the chapter and what you think of my decision. Regardless of what you say, though, I will write as I see fit.**


	21. Explanations: Part I

**Two chapters in two days?! (Gasp)**

**Loving all the reviews, guys, keep up the love! How bout we break the record and make this fic the most reviewed in the NaLu department? JK. It'd be nice to break the 1000 mark, though.**

**There was supposed to be tension in this chapter… sorry. I have something else planned for that tension hanging in the air.**

**ENJOY.**

* * *

"_I love you, Lucy."_

Her hand twitched.

"_I love you, weirdo."_

Her eyes flickered.

"_I'm here, Luce. I'll always be here."_

With a transient gasp, Lucy bolted awake, yanking the sheets along with her. She felt her heart race miles in her chest, Natsu's whispered words echoing in her head and making her cheeks flare up in a rosy tint. Even though his voice was vivid and—dare she say it—_loving_ in her head, she couldn't help but assume the flashes of Natsu kissing her out of her living daylights, whispering gentle words in her ear and saying those three little words she so craved from him were part of a mere, insatiable dream. Surely, she believed she had been asleep for a long time, but that awakening with Happy and Maya, and then Natsu, was so excruciatingly real that she took it for her imagination. She was probably waking up from her long, long sleep now.

The blonde blinked the tiredness away, surprised to find remnants of moisture on her left eye. She brushed her hand over it and dismissed it, thinking it was due to the prolongued sleep, and examined the darkness of the room, her eyes adjusting to the sight. She could tell it was barely nightfall by the spot revealed between the window curtains, and she wondered exactly what time it was. The exposed part of the window wasn't enough to lighten the room and Lucy was growing tired of the obscure mood in the room, so without even thinking, she raised her right hand. It lit up in a golden light, obeying her inner request, and she didn't even _think _about the Light spell, Venus Lucem, yet it came out almost knowingly. A ghost of a smile passed by her lips briefly.

Suddenly, she gulped hard, frowning. It felt like a dream. It sounded like a dream. But had it been really?

"Natsu?" she whispered, in a reluctant tone, hopeful tone, yet with an edge of disappointment to it.

As half expected, she didn't receive an answer. Lucy wasn't known for giving up, though, and the entire Fiore knew that.

"Natsu," she called, tone slightly higher. She was met with silence again, her lips pursing.

She then quickly turned to her right, her hand still glowing. Out of the blue, it illuminated a face with purposefully wide, terrorizing eyes and a slight agape mouth of a human being. Needless to say, her hand made it glow in a very eerie perspective, and the voice that came out was rough and slurred, practically resembling a zombie from a horror movie.

"You rang?"

Lucy swore she'd never screamed so loudly before in the near eighteen years of her life.

_**Smack**__—!_

Or punched someone as hardly, for that matter.

"Ow, ow, ow, _ow_!" the person whined while tumbling to the floor, the tone all too familiar to her. Her eyes widened in shock when a mop of salmon hair popped out of the sheet used to frighten her, a hand drawn to his bloodied nose. "Sheesh, Luce, It's just me!"

"N—Natsu?" she stuttered, and when he gave her a sarcastic glance and a nasal 'duh', she squeaked in embarrassment as her hands flew up to cup her own face. "Oh my Mavis, I'm so sorry! Oh, gods!"

"It's fine," he muttered, shrugging, still tending his hand to his runny and damaged nose. She was quick to slide from the bed to examine her defensive punch, slightly glaring at him.

"You scared me, gods damn it, no wonder I gave you that," she chided, scowling. "Idiot, you know I hate anything related to horror!"

"I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit," he mumbled, pouting his lips. She ignored her inner self squealing at how cute and irresistible he looked like that, creasing her brow and looking confused instead.

"What?"

"I smelled tears in your eyes when you woke up," he sighed, frowning at her. "I thought maybe some kind of surprise would make you stop, ya know… I saw you cry earlier today like never before. I don't like seeing you cry, Luce."

Lucy stiffened. _Earlier today?_

"W—Wait," she said. "You mean, it wasn't a dream?"

"Huh?"

She felt her cheeks warm up. "T—The whole thing with me crying, throwing a tantrum and you telling me that you… that you…t—that you…"

"That I love you?" he finished, grinning loopsidedly. She didn't answer, her faint blush rising to a shade akin to crimson. It only occurred to her now that they had been acting as if the whole drama with her and the guild had never happened, like the best friends they had always been.

"… It wasn't a dream?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Does it look like a dream?"

"It feels like a dream."

"It wasn't a dream."

"… It feels like a dream," Lucy repeated, frowning. It did indeed feel unreal to her. The crying, the kiss… the _confession._ It felt all too good to be true.

Without any kind of early warning, Natsu leaned forward to capture her parted lips in a lingering kiss, catching her off guard. She gasped for a barely noticeable second, feeling his lips move against hers gently. She could smell the remaining blood trickling down his injured nose, but neither of them seemed to care. Just as she decided to kiss back with a levelled tone of passion, he pulled away, seemingly satisfied with his approach.

"Still feels like a dream?" he asked, smirking. Lucy smiled slightly, flushing pink.

"Yeah," she murmured, and seeing his playfully annoyed scowl, she gazed into his eyes with a small grin. "But some convincing wouldn't hurt."

Natsu raised his eyebrows and grinned wickedly, before he scooped up her wrist and flattened his hand on her back, startling her. He smashed his lips to hers, her back arching and her head bending back with the pressure of the kiss, but it only made her giggle. She felt him smirk as he deepened the kiss even more, to which she laughed carelessly and cupped his cheek with her hand, all the while his own on her wrist lacing their fingers together and the other tracing absent minded circles over her smaller back. She kept giggling uncontrollably while kissing him fervently, everything around her becoming blurry except for him, and only him.

"Natsu!" she laughed, when he unabashedly moved his lips to the crook of her sensitive neck. "Hey, that tickles!"

He merely laughed as response, enjoying the feel of her skin against his lips. That was, until he suffered the consequences of pressing his nose to her neck, grimacing heavily at the harsh jab of pain. Lucy winced, feeling guilty. She pushed him away from her partially exposed shoulder, and without thinking, tenderly pressed her lips to his nose.

"Sorry. Here," the blonde whispered, "Sano Terram."

Natsu blinked at her airy whisper, widening his eyes in awe at the greenish glow that enveloped his wounded nose and seemingly healed it back to its usual healthy condition. As she pulled away, he flicked the skinned lump, mouth going ajar when he felt no pain whatsoever.

"Whoa."

"That's Sano Terram for you," she said, smiling.

He eyed her, blinking thrice, before he said, "What?"

"The Healing spell. It's part of the…" she began, but suddenly realized two things at once. One, her magic power was revived and felt stronger than ever.

Two, Natsu still hadn't heard what happened during the time she was away. Neither had the guild. Which made him completely clueless as to what kind of magic she possessed now.

"I still haven't told you about those six months away."

"No."

It hadn't been a question, but he had still answered.

"No, Lucy, you haven't told any of us."

Abruptly, both turned their heads to the side, encountering Masters Makarov and Danny, Maya, Ivy, Erza and Gray with their eyes locked on them. A pinch of embarrassment went through her at the possibility of the bunch having seen her and Natsu act overly intimate, careless about their surroundings, and her cheeks burst in a color darker than his hair. It didn't help that their hands were still joined, their fingers wattled like slender, unmoving tree branches. She could feel his hand on her back, his fingers tapping mindlessly onto her skin. It took all of her willpower to not shiver in delight.

"That said, I think it's time you tell us the tale of your little adventure without us," Master Makarov suggested. There was in no way an accusation behind his words, for his tone held a simple intrigued edge, but Lucy flinched all the same.

"Yeah, and it's best if you tone it down on the love, guys," Gray teased, smirking as he gestured at their attire, "Come on, man, she just got back and you're letting your libido get the best of you?"

Lucy flushed even more, confused by his words, and stared down. She hadn't even noticed, but she was pratically straddling Natsu's hips as he kneeled on the floor, his scarf was loose around his neck and both of their hairs were verging dangerously close to a pair of lions' manes. Their lips were swollen and wet, proving the ice alchemist's point even further, and the fact that she was clad in only a baggy white shirt with her shoulder exposed to the exterior air didn't help them keep it private. An embarrassed squeak left her mouth as she jumped from the Fire mage's lap, yanking their hands apart and tightly crossing her arms over her ample bosom.

"Shut up, perverted stripper," Natsu growled, deflating at the sudden lack of contact with the Celestial mage.

"Make me, flame brain."

"You wanna go, popsicle?!"

"Bring it on, squinty eyes!"

"What did you call me?!"

"Both of you, _shut up_," Erza snapped, glaring at the two, "or I'll pummel you to the ground."

They flinched, Gray warily stepping back and Natsu leaning in Lucy's direction as if to hide himself behind her.

"Y—Yes ma'am."

"Aye sir…"

At Natsu's high pitched tone, Happy pratically bounced from Maya's head and onto the blonde's chest, crying loudly and refusing to let go of her this time. Lucy smiled sheepishly, the words _déjà-vu_ crossing her mind.

"You're back, you're finally back," the blue feline sobbed, to which Lucy sighed, smile still in place. "Don't ever leave again, please!"

She didn't answer, but she patted his head affectionally while Natsu just stared with a raised eyebrow and a faint grin.

"She won't leave, Happy, unless she has yet _another _reason to do so," Maya replied for Lucy, the words causing the Fairy Tail members present in the room to flinch slightly.

"H—How'd you guys know I was awake?" the blonde interrupted, wanton to change the subject. "Or did you simply decide to check up on me?"

"A bit of both. Though we were more inclined for the first reason since we heard a scream," Ivy replied. Lucy froze.

_Wait…_

"It sounded like a cheetah having an orgasm," Maya muttered, grinning slyly as she slanted her eyes. Gray and Ivy sputtered, while Erza blushed and the Masters just stood there. Makarov was trying hard not to react, though.

Lucy disregarded the offensive comment, instead staring at the brunette with wide eyes and scarlet cheeks.

"Y—You mean, you all saw me and Natsu ki… ki…"

"The kiss that became a stupid make-out session? Yeah, totally."

Lucy whimpered, slapping her hands over her face in utter embarrassment. Oh, gods. She had just started getting used to kissing Natsu and her friends just had to see it happen. As wise and proud in the romance subject she tried to seem, Lucy was just as inexperienced as her partner and definitely not a fan of public demonstration of affection. Or public nudity. Even if she'd been put through the latter so many times she'd lost count. She groaned at the memories, sinking further onto the floor, while Happy slid off her body to stare at her with a small grin.

Natsu glared at the bunch, sensing the blonde's discomfort.

"You could have said something!" she screamed, the sound thankfully muffled by her palms.

To her surprise, her wrists were—in a way—softly pulled from her face, and before Lucy knew what had happened, she had a pair of armored arms pratically crushing her in a hug and her nose was tangled into strands of scarlet red hair. She sighed in half relief, half sadness, and disregarding the tightness of the hug and momentarily letting herself forget all the emotional pain she had been through at her hands, she slung her arms around Erza and hugged the mage who she shared a sisterly bond with.

"Don't ever do that again, Lucy," the redhead warned, though her voice was hinted with joy and regret. "Don't ever pull up a stunt like that again…"

"We thought we'd lost you," Gray's cracked voice suddenly interrupted the moment.

Lucy wheezed out, muttering for Erza to let go for a moment, and shakily stood to her feet. She was aware that she was clothed in just a white loose shirt without any pants or skirt, but this was Gray, a brother figure to her, therefore there was nothing to be queasy about. The second she was up and saw the ice mage's tearful smile, she smiled back a double times larger and threw herself onto him for a hug, feeling his arms wrap tightly around her. Yes, she felt the slight repulsion and the painful memories that were immediately brought forth in her mind as she saw her two team mates, but she chose to temporarily disregard them. She'd deal with tension and explanations later.

"Gods damn you, Lucy, we missed you," he mumbled, sliding his hand up and down on her back in a comforting manner. He caught Natsu's raised eyebrow, but ignored him.

"I missed you, too."

"Don't get too comfy, frosty balls," Natsu threatened slightly, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips when Gray gave him a look.

"Chill, fire breath."

The Ice-Make mage tightened the hug for a moment, then pulled back an arm's length, his eyes hooded and his face contorting with what seemed guilt and regret.

"I'm sorry."

Lucy frowned, her chest tightening. He inhaled.

"I'm sorry for… for those three months," he continued, making her uneasy. "I should have noticed, I'm so sorry, I can't actually believe I did that to you…"

"Gray… it's alright," she assured, waving her hands almost defensively, but even the dumbest human alive would see how hesitant and fake her words were.

"No, Lucy, it's not alright," Erza said, stepping in to place her hands on her shoulders. "We should not have done such an outrageous thing to you. We owe you an apology, though we do not deserve your forgiveness. Therefore, I'm truly sorry, Lucy. Please, hit me."

"Huh? No, Erza, I won't hit you," she declined, widening her eyes.

"You might just fly out the window if you let her, Erza," Maya alerted, grinning sheepishly. Judging by the casual way of addressing the Requip mage, Lucy supposed the two had gotten to talk and know each other well enough.

"That reminds me," Gray piped in, "Lucy has a story to tell us."

The blonde in topic froze visibly, her heart dropping. When the people in the room gave her looks spiked with curiosity, her beating heart might as well be sprayed by the acids in her stomach. Natsu noticed her nervousness, and stepped closer to her, swiftly clutching her hand and entangling their fingers together.

"Lucy?" he whispered, his hot breath fanning over her sensitive ear. She didn't bother hiding her incoming shiver, seemingly more relaxed by his mere presence.

"I… I think I need to… collect, my thoughts before that. And," she muttered, and glanced at the salmon haired mage inches from her. "I want Natsu to hear it first."

Unconcerned by what his children might be thinking of her response, be it understanding or apprehension, Makarov nodded.

"We understand. I thought you might want to enlighten Natsu beforehand. Call us when you feel ready to tell us."

The Fairy Tail Master then turned to the door, gesturing for the remaining people to follow him. Erza, Gray, Ivy, Maya and the trio of Exceeds instantly obeyed, glancing at Lucy sympathetically over their shoulders, and leaving her with Natsu in the room.

Natsu and Master Danny.

"I know what you're thinking," the brunet began, eyeing her.

_Literally,_ she thought, with a half-hearted smile, to which he chuckled meekly.

"But I assume you ought to know why your magic power began running low, during your fight with Bloodthirsty."

Lucy whipped her head up, staring at him with wide chocolate eyes and a slightly parted mouth. So, indeed, Master Danny was aware of what had caused her magic to fail, at the worst moment of the mission, no less. Speaking of which, what had happened to Bloodthirsty?

"I am seriously wanting to know the answer, but before that, what happened to the beast?" she inquired.

"The Magic Council took care of it," Natsu interrupted. "They heard all about Onibus and Bloodthirsty, and when they heard that it was you who defeated it, they came to the guild. Came right on time, actually, Levy said that there was something in that beast's blood that poisoned the air or something. Wendy took care of it."

"They see you as a hero now, pratically," Master Danny added, smiling. Lucy averted her eyes.

"For Asclepius's sake, I just slayed some beast…" she muttered, hugging herself. Natsu shook his head, and stepped right in front of her, framing her cheeks with his hands.

"Some beast that ate humans and actually destroyed a whole town. And you took it down like the boss you are," he said, grinning proudly. "You're stronger than you think, Lucy."

She stared into his onyx eyes, skimming her hands up to clasp his that held her face, her chocolaty depths earnest and intense.

"I'm stronger than _you_ think, Natsu."

He exhaled, tucking a strand of gold behind her ear in an uncharacteristically tender manner.

"Yeah. You've made that pretty much clear."

Lucy saw him close his eyes, and gently press his forehead to hers. She felt an involuntary smile intrude on her lips, her own eyes closing and her expression displaying nothing if not pure bliss. It truly felt like a dream, like heaven. Lucy just wanted to stay in that position for the rest of the day. She was finally his… and, more importantly, Natsu was finally _hers_.

"He's been yours for longer than you think," Master Danny suddenly said, interrupting the loving moment between the two mages.

Natsu pulled away, staring at the man with a raised eyebrow, while Lucy had confusion plastered all over her face.

"What?" she said.

He smirked slightly, tilting his head in Natsu's direction, and mouthing what seemed, 'I can read his thoughts.' She felt her cheeks go pink, yet not quite understanding the meaning of his half spoken words. Thankfully, Master realized it.

"Lucy, you think that out of you two, you're the one that's loved him first and suffered more for it, am I right?" he asked. She was a bit taken aback by his choice of words, but, with red cheeks, she nodded meekly. "You're wrong. Natsu has been aware of his feelings long before you realized yours, Lucy."

"E—Eh?" she whispered, shifting her stare onto the Fire mage's. He smiled, a little sheepish, but also confident.

"Yeah," he said, suddenly grinning playfully. "In a super weird twisted way, you're the tardy one in here."

"Say _what_?"

"What." A hit to the head. "_Ow._ You told me to say what!"

"It's a manner of speech, idiot. Now, I don't get it, I'm the one who's late on…?"

"On figuring out how much you love me?" he concluded, his grin turning sly and teasing. She puffed out her cheeks. "C'mon, Lucy, you've said it before! Can't you say it again?"

"I don't want to inflate your stupid man ego."

"Ouch. That's harsh."

"How so?" she questioned, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"I love you." Her shoulders went stiff and her cheeks burned hotter than his vessel of magic. Dang. She wasn't used to hearing him say that."It's only fair if you say it back."

"I've already said it, Natsu."

"But I want to hear it again," he whined.

"What part of the 'inflating your man ego' did you not understand?"

"It's not inflating my ego, it's answering my feelings truthfully."

"I've already answered your feelings truthfully."

"I love you, Lucy."

"… You're not going to drop this, are you?"

"Nope," Natsu said, grinning. Lucy rolled her eyes, mumbling incoherent words under her breath. He smirked, tilting his head, "What was that?"

Screw him, he had Dragon Slayer senses, he heard it perfectly.

"I love you, Natsu," she repeated, louder.

Completely forgetting about Master Danny's presence, he swiftly cupped her cheeks in his hands and smashed his lips to hers in a deep, yet chaste kiss. Lucy made a sound of surprise, which was muffled by his mouth, before he pulled back a few inches to gaze into her eyes and slide his hands down her bare arms to clasp their hands together.

"And _that,_" Master Danny suddenly said, smirking, "is why the endless vessel was activated within you. Hephaestus allowed it not only for your feelings for Natsu, but his as well, or else it wouldn't have worked."

"W—What," Lucy began, before clearing her throat, cheeks burning for the nth time that day, and moved a few inches from Natsu, much to his dismay. "What do you mean?"

"Think, Lucy. You ran out of magic, in a very inconvenient situation no less, and had to measure what was left of your power to defeat Bloodthirsty. The cause of Begalinis Magija was not within your reach."

"I'm still confused."

Master Danny pursed his lips, before he smiled mysteriously. "Lucy, I never said the vessel of endless magic within your body has been activated."

"Huh? You said it had been opened."

"That doesn't mean it's been open from that moment since."

"You mean… it closed?" she said, frowning.

"Right after you mastered the remaining two of the Grand Spells. Though, I can tell, it's open right now."

"Why? It's been closed and now it's open?"

Master Danny's mouth twitched in a faint smirk, before he slowly turned for the door of the infirmary, his cloak oscillating slightly on the way.

"Like I said, Lucy, the reason behind the whole opening of the endless magical vessel within your body hasn't been near you, during your staying in the capital and, precisely, Dragon Claw," he said, and at the doorstep, he glanced at the couple over his shoulder with an unreadable expression. "Until now."

The door was closed, and Natsu and Lucy were left alone. He creased his brow, staring at the door, baffled by Master Danny and Lucy's foreign talk. He figured it had to do with her six months away from the guild.

"Did you get any of that?" he asked, pointing his thumb at the closed door. Lucy twitched her lips.

"Sort of. I still haven't gotten to the answer he wants me to get," she said, and in silent steps, she reached her bed and sat down at the end of it. Natsu took it as the cue to join her, noticing her nervous demeanor.

"Hey," he said, and slung an arm around her shoulders. "Stop being nervous. It's just me."

"Yeah, but, you know…"

"Not really, I don't. Relax, Luce."

She took a deep breath, nodding her head repeatedly and letting him, despite her crimson stained cheeks (yet again), to pull her onto his lap and allow their eyes to be at the same level. Instantly, Lucy hooked her right arm around his neck, and tried to swat away the embarrassment she felt at their position and her clothing. _Lack_ of clothing.

All of a sudden, Natsu sighed contentedly onto her cheek.

"Finally alone," he muttered, and Lucy felt more than saw him grin against her jaw.

"Natsu."

"Yeah?"

"Don't take me wrong, but you're scaring me."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I never took you to be into kissing and being close like this, I never knew you had it in you…" she said, sheepish, bringing her knees closer instinctively.

To her surprise, he laughed mischievously, and made her squeak by nipping the underside of her ear.

"I'm not as dumb as you all think I am."

_Oh._ Lucy gulped, knowing the meaning behind his words. She ignored his seductive whispery tone, including her inner self that was melting into putty at the sound, and took a deep breath to calm herself. More specifically, to ready herself. Natsu sensed it, she knew that—he was on par with everything around him so well that she feared he could hear her heart beating like an overgrown hammer inside her chest.

"Lucy, calm down. I don't want you to have a heart attack."

And that answered all of her questions. With another deep breath, and Natsu raising his head to stare right into her brown eyes, Lucy began the telltale of her six months absence from Fairy Tail.

* * *

**I am so sorry that it ended here, but that's all I can write for now. Yes, next chapter will have Lucy's story telling and Natsu's constant interruptions. Originally, it was to be in this chapter, but I couldn't write anymore because it would either become too long or my lack of writing mojo would ruin everything.**

**I hope you guys finally cracked the code. Finish this in a review: So, the 'culprit' of Lucy's magic failing is…**

**To love to kiss to sweetly hold  
For the dancing and the dreeeeaming  
Through all life's sorrows and delights  
I'll keep your love inside meeee**

**I'll swim and sail on savage seas  
With ne'er a fear of drooooowniiiing  
And gladly ride the waves of life  
If you will marry meeeeeeeeee! (…eeeeeeeeeeeeeh I'm still goiiiiiiiiiin—I'm done.)**

**THREE PIZZA SLICES FOR WHO KNOWS THIS SONG AND LOVES THE MOVIE FRANCHISE!**

**Love you guys!**


	22. Explanations: Part II

**YAY, I CHANGED THE COVER AGAIN. IT'S ACTUALLY THE BEST ONE. **

**Moving on...**

**I didn't want to bore you with Lucy's storytelling on stuff you've seen her go through, but I thought Natsu's reactions were something I couldn't NOT include. I also saw a review that pretty much said what would happen, about Lucy facing the guild and stuff, but that person is only partially right. Yes, there will be tension, there will be anger from Lucy's behalf, but clearly not displayed as most of you expected and not performed as that reviewer suggested.**

**I was kinda conflicted when I looked up the Jewel matter. Since it's like the dollar or the euro, I'll be referring to it in lowercase font, like jewels. It makes more sense like that.**

* * *

"You never realized how lonely I was."

Lucy looked away from his guilty stained dark eyes, clenching her hands around the fabric of his scarf.

"For months. Maybe two months, before you left on that mission with Lisanna and Team Natsu, minus me."

Caught up with the unleashed feelings she had during her isolation, Lucy attempted to slide away from his lap, seemingly overwhelmed by the painful memories his touch provided. Natsu didn't let her though, pratically ironing his grip on her body. She could tell his eyes were stern, even if they weren't making eye contact, and demanded her to continue, regardless of how heartbreaking her words would be. He was strong like that, Lucy was aware of it.

"I remember the day you told me you'd be spending your time with Lisanna to finally catch up with her," she continued, after a deep breath. "I remember I smiled and told you to have fun. You did, for three months. Without me."

If possible, his hands tightened on her waist.

"Like I said, I tried to make you look at me, I tried to make you realize you were ignoring me, but it never worked. During those three months, the few people that talked to me were Gajeel, Wendy and Romeo. Laxus only spoke to me once or twice, most of the time he just stood there, next to me. Gajeel was more of a transicion between Levy and me… he didn't try to tell her she was spending too much time with Lisanna too, but he wanted her to realize it herself."

"Bastard."

Lucy nudged his chest, a split second smile passing her lips.

"Romeo also talked to me, we actually got to know each other better. I didn't openly complain about… about the team leaving me, I listened to Romeo talking about Macao and how his father was getting too infactuated with Lisanna's return as well. Wendy… she was a sight to behold. She constantly wavered between wanting to stay by my side and spending time to get to know Lisanna, I felt bad for her."

"So, you're saying it was Gajeel who started hanging out with you."

"Not exactly. I was mostly alone. He only started passing by me more often and started a few conversations. And Romeo. Laxus can count, too. When they were with me, they kept saying I should just ditch you and the team, and Bickslow was always telling me to join the Thunder God tribe," she said, creasing her brow at the memory. At Natsu's offended glare, she raised an eyebrow. "Natsu, clearly I didn't do it."

"But you did ditch me and the team."

A glare formed in her suddenly much browner eyes, as she easily left his arms, surprising him. He gulped, eyes half lidded.

"After we ditched you."

Lucy crossed her arms, abashedly looking away. It felt saddening to hear those words, but she could tell, by his downcast eyes, that to Natsu it hurt more to say them.

"A—After three months of still being away from the team, I decided that I was about done, and followed Gajeel and Laxus's advice. I summoned Loke after debating with myself on whether I should really go for it, which I decided that I would, and he was against the idea. We argued for a while, him saying I shouldn't just leave because of a guy who started ignoring me and that Fairy Tail was my home, but I won in the end because I said it was good for becoming stronger. It was an opportunity I had to grab, and I did."

Natsu saw her inhale deeply, preventing himself from commenting on how he sided with Loke.

"Later that day, I went to the guild to talk to Master about my decision. You were there with Lisanna and the others, and I suddenly felt the impulse to try again and make you look at me, not to make me change my mind, to allow me to say goodbye. But, I thought better, and didn't even bother anymore."

"I really wish you had," he muttered, pursing his lips. "It would have been better than some letter."

Lucy flushed at the mention of the word, but remained unfazed.

"You would have tried to stop me."

The words rang in her head. Now that she thought about it, would he really have? By the time she decided to leave, he was still engrossed by Lisanna and spent more than half of his days with her. Would he really have tried to stop her when he was still infactuated with his childhood friend?

Lucy saw him close his eyes, breathing carefully.

"True."

_Not exactly_, she thought, dejectedly. She paid her thoughts no mind, and started pacing calmly around the room.

"I went to Makarov's office. When I told him about my decision, he was surprised and asked me if I really wanted to do it. I answered that yes, I had to, but he still stared at me strangely. Eventually, he said he'd let me go, but I had to promise that I'd be back someday, something I easily complied to. I had already decided to come back one day, but…"

"But?"

Lucy hugged herself, staring at the wall, consequently making her face disappear from Natsu's sight.

"I didn't expect to be back so soon."

He raised an eyebrow.

"How long were you going to be away?"

"I'm not entirely sure. A year?" she said, still facing the wall. "Maybe two…"

"Two _years_?" Natsu repeated, incredulously. She could detect a hint of anger in his tone of voice, but ignored it.

"I wanted to get away for a long time. I hoped I could actually travel around the country or something, that I could meet new people. Obviously, I got to do the second one. But we'll get to that later."

Natsu crossed his arms, suddenly more focused on her.

"After he removed my guild mark, I ran out of the guild, not even bothering to say goodbye to Wendy or Romeo. I… I was already crying and I didn't want anyone to notice."

He didn't comment, but by the corner of her eye, Lucy saw him frown.

"I got home and started cleaning it all up before packing as fast as I could, because I felt as if I didn't do it quickly enough, I'd cower and change my mind, and I couldn't back down anymore. After packing, I was crying even more. I was overwhelmed, so… I made a stupid decision and wrote you that love letter. Oh gods—"

"What?" he questioned, grinning cockily with a raised eyebrow. She slapped her hands over her face.

"I don't even know what I was thinking! It was so unbelievably corny that I don't even think it was me who wrote it in the first place. Now I realize how absolutely _stupid _that letter was."

"Is."

She froze.

"… _Is_?"

Natsu smirked, moving over the bed to jump to his feet. "You think I'd throw away your declaration of love for me?"

Lucy yanked her hands from her face, staring at him with wide eyes and red cheeks, as he slowly approached her.

"Where is it?"

"Why? If I tell you, you'll want to get rid of it," he deadpanned, scowling.

"Damn straight!" she screamed, but it sounded more like a squeak. "It's so embarrassing, I can't let that thing live!"

"But I want that thing to live!"

"And why the hell would you want that?! It's so childish and sappy and… _stupid_! Gah, I need to dispose of the evidence!"

"Evidence of what?"

"Evidence of how corny I can get!"

"But I like it!" he said, before he caught himself, and frowned. "Except for the whole Lisanna and I having kids part. Okay, you can have it."

Lucy didn't even care that he had brought that part up. "Yes! Thank you—"

"To replace her name with yours."

The blonde stilled, staring fixatedly at his grinning face with her mouth agape.

"W—Wha…?"

"What?"

"W—Who said I was going to have k—kids with you?!" she squeaked.

"Eh? I thought it was pretty obvious."

"S—Since when?!"

"Since when you told me you love me."

"That—it—but you—!" she stuttered, only making him snicker. "T—That doesn't mean I want to have kids with you!"

"So… you don't want to have kids with me?" he asked, looking truly saddened. Lucy did a double take.

"N—No, I do want to!" she corrected herself, but squealed and slapped a hand over her mouth in realization when he raised an eyebrow suggestively. "No, wait, I—I mean! _Ah_, motherfucker—!"

Natsu threw his head back and howled in laughter, as she pulled on her hair out of stress and confusion. She was just too much sometimes.

"I know what you mean, Luce," he said, and, still laughing, gave her a peck on the lips and snaked his arms around her waist. She glared at his chest, cheeks fuming, fists clinging to his open vest.

"Idiot."

"Yeah. But I'm your idiot."

She blinked, and giggled breathily, the sound barely noticeable.

"Since when did you get as sappy as me?" she joked, pressing her forehead on the juncture right under his neck, fitting her head under his chin like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Hey, you're the one who wrote me a love letter."

She groaned. He chuckled, tilting his head to kiss the top of her head.

"… Why do you get to initiate the kisses?"

"Because I love you and you never do."

Lucy scowled, before she lifted her chin and caught his lips in a hesitant, yet deep kiss. She felt his lips extend in a grin against her own and his chest rumble with faint laughter, but almost immediately after she sneaked her hands around his neck, he was slowly and softly responding—a contrast to their fiery, passionate first kiss.

Now that she thought about it, Lucy never imagined her first kiss to be that intense. Actually, before those three months, she didn't even consider having it with Natsu at all. _Before_. She couldn't count how many times she daydreamed about it during her stay at the capital. That and _things_ which, just thinking about it, she'd flush bright pink. It didn't help how she would constantly write those fantasies down whenever they crossed her mind, be it kissing, cuddling, or something far more intimate.

"Whoa, take it easy, Luce," Natsu's breathy voice resounded, halting her reverie. She blinked, staring at his sly grin and narrowed eyes. "Unless you want to go down that lane, I think you should stop there."

"Eh?" she said, and glanced down.

Unconsciously, she had intensified their kiss to a level of zeal on par with their first one, tugging at his scarf and clothes as if he was the anchor holding her up. Somehow, they had stumbled back to the bed, and ended up with him sitting down and her knees pratically caging his legs, while her hands rested on his bare abdomen and her lips stood scarce inches from his own, their breaths mingling. The fact that his upper body was, as usual, almost naked and she was wearing a simple white shirt with no pants or skirt whatsoever, did not help.

Needless to say, it was the most intimate—and embarrassing—position Lucy ever allowed herself to be in with Natsu.

_Oh, sure, because the time you landed on him naked and the time you fell with your ass on top of his face don't count,_ her mind retorted. Her face exploded in red.

"Kya!" she squealed, struggling to jump from his lap like a spring.

He just laughed, seizing her before she could leave, and rolled them over so that he could pin her down. She rolled her eyes, wheezing when he fell on her and nuzzled her neck. Her heart sped up.

"Natsu, I—I'm not in an appropriate attire for you to do that," she stammered, and he sighed, before he rolled over while dragging her along, over his body. She flushed. "Hey, I was in the middle of my story…"

"Just for a while. I missed you," he whispered, tightening his hold on her. "So damn much…"

Lucy cracked a smile. "I missed you, too."

They laid there for a while, just listening to each other's breathing and letting the feeling of being back into each other's arms dawn on them like a downpour. Natsu blew over her ear, making her giggle, and he grinned. It felt so good to have her back in his arms, to hear her voice and drown in her appetizing scent again.

"Why haven't we done this sooner?"

"What?" she asked.

"This," he repeated, as she ducked her head to his warm chest. "Kissing and stuff, it feels so right."

"Because we were both scaredy kittens who were stubborn and afraid of our feelings?"

"_You _were stubborn and afraid of your feelings," Natsu corrected. "The moment I realized I love you, I wanted you to know it and wanted us to be like this. But _nooo_, little Miss Lucy was a little bunny afraid of kissing the almighty Salamander, for some dumb reason."

His tone was mocking and playful, but she still punched his shoulder with a glare and a vivid blush.

"Ouch. Come on, you're gonna say I'm lying?"

"No," she said, reluctantly. "But you're my best friend, that's one of the reasons."

"Clueless person here."

She sighed, moving to hold her weight with her elbows and to face him directly.

"Natsu, relationships with best friends are risky. If something… goes wrong, not only the romantic relationship is ruined, but also the friendship."

"If something goes wrong, we'll just overcome it," he said, shrugging, and raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing we can't face if we're together, Luce, and you know it."

She blinked, taken aback. She was used to having him do the heartfelt speeches for the guild and whatever messed up situation they ended up in, but never had she heard him speak loving words just for her. And that nonchalant tone just made it all the more _Natsu_. Lucy grinned, and then laughed softly.

"What?" he asked, grinning as well. She shook her head,

"I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

"Like what?"

"You know, romantic."

"That's how I am, baby, full of surprises," he teased, tilting his head with a perverse grin.

Lucy burst out laughing, landing her face on his chest once more, and it wasn't long before he tumbled in right after her and laughed just as loudly. She missed this. Their playful times, laughing and messing around, she missed all of it.

"Okay," she said, breathing in to calm her laughter. "Serious time. I need to finish my story. Right?"

"Right," he agreed. "I want to know everything, Lucy."

"Everything?"

He nodded.

"Everything. From the day you left Magnolia to the moment right before you crashed through the guild's window."

Lucy inhaled, before nodding vaguely and moving away from him to sit cross legged over the bed. Natsu sent her a curious, focused stare as he mimicked her, attention fully lodged onto her and the words that would pour out of her mouth.

"Okay, so, where was I?"

"You were writing me a love letter?" he said, grinning. She nudged his chest, blushing and smiling openly.

"Yeah," she cleared her throat. Suddenly, the mood was back to that heavy gloom that had been hanging ever since she woke up. "I wrote the letter and turned to Loke, who was done getting my luggage, and he asked me again if I was sure. He asked about the guild, about you, and I said you'd be fine, because you had Lisanna—_no more interruptions_, I need you to listen. Please."

Natsu closed his previously parted mouth, and nodded, with solemn dark eyes.

"I said you were going on a mission with her and Team Natsu. Loke kept pressuring me, telling me I shouldn't leave, but I had already made my decision and nothing was going to stop me. Eventually, we left, after I gave my landlady the letter and my duvet, and headed for the train station. During the ride, Loke and I talked about where I would be staying and how I should start on working with my magic, seeing he didn't know anything else other than Spirit Summoning. The library seemed like a good option to me.

"I also told him we'd be going to the capital. When he asked, I wasn't sure, but something occurred to me at that moment. I had been searching for apartments out of Magnolia that I could rent, I didn't even care if it was expensive or not, I just wanted to get away. I wound up reading a newspaper about Crocus, and the apartment ads caught my attention, but I didn't decide while reading. I did when Loke asked me, without thinking," Lucy suddenly chuckled, shaking her head. "Is this even relevant to the story?"

"Yep."

She blinked, before muttering a small 'okay' and folding her arms over her chest.

"I fell asleep, into a dreamless sleep. When I woke up, it was morning and Loke wasn't sitting across me. Virgo was. Shortly after that, we arrived. She helped me carry my luggage like Loke and we both headed for my new apartment, in the capital, where I would start my new life. Sort of," she grimaced for a second. "When we got there, I was pleased. It's a spacious place, modern and clean, and suddenly I wasn't so bommed about spending extra jewels anymore. It's just so perfect."

"It definitely is."

She raised an eyebrow, to which he shrugged.

"That's my side of the story. We're hearing yours first."

She didn't comment, but she was confused and curious. Had he been to her place at the capital? Probably.

"I had… I had a nightmare that night. But it's not very important—"

"Yes it is, Lucy," Natsu cut in, with a stern expression. "What was it about?"

She tightened her lips, avoiding his eyes. She bent her head, concealing her face with her hair, a sight he frowned at. It was too familiar. He hated it.

"I—It was about you. You were saying that I… that I was never your best friend, that I was never welcome at the guild and you could n—never love someone like me."

Natsu resisted the urge to tug her into a bone crushing hug, eyes narrowing as she spoke in a broken voice.

"You said you only loved Lisanna, and that I was her replacement and nothing more. T—That I meant nothing to you," Lucy continued, and he grimaced when she sniffled. "You called me weak, fragile and a nuisance. A—And…"

"And?"

"A—And that you wished I was dead."

She rubbed her small fists over her teary eyes, trying to contain her hiccups and sobs as Natsu pulled her into a tight embrace. He hushed her gently, lips ghosting over her ear, rocking her back and forth as she cried softly. He didn't know how many times she had cried in front of him, but the crying she displayed today was by far the most heartbreaking to him. He always remained calm and collected when she cried, but on the inside, he felt like trash and just wanted to cry himself and plead for her to stop. She affected him to that extent.

"It was what it was, Lucy, a nightmare," he whispered, and moved to press his lips to her temple. "Nothing more. I love you, you hear me? _I love you_."

She sniffled, nodding repeatedly against his chest. "I love you, too."

He smiled, and brushed his lips over to longingly kiss her forehead, before he pressed his own to it and began wiping her tears with his thumbs. Lucy closed her eyes as he did it, sighing in bittersweetness.

"When I woke up, I went out for some fresh air to keep my mind off that nightmare, and ended up at a small café for breakfast. The barmaid, Ellia, noticed I was sad, and asked me about it. Before I even knew it, she was the first person that wasn't Fairy Tail to hear everything, the emotional pain I went through and my decisions. She just listened and comforted me, which was nice. She reminded me a lot of Mira-san, maybe that's why I felt so at ease.

She gave me instructions for the library. I went there not long after, Loke tagging along. We searched the whole section for Celestial magic, but there was nothing there that I didn't know already. Just when I was giving up, I saw Hibiki Lates."

"From Blue Pegasus?"

"Yeah. I thought I could actually ask for help, seeing he taught me Urano Metria. He said I would find nothing in that library, unless I searched the restricted section. After that, he left, and I wasn't really into breaking the rules at the moment. But, when the librarian left for the bathroom, I just… didn't care and sneaked into that section."

She ignored his smirk.

"There was a lot of magic information there, all of them Lost magic. I remember seeing the Slaying shelf and the tags 'Dragon', 'Demon', 'God'… and a lot more topics it should be even forbidden to list them off. I found a shelf labelled 'Celestial', and a book caught my eye. _Celestial Magic: Origins_. At first, it had information I already knew, but then the second paragraph came as downright suspicious. There's a Caster side to Celestial magic."

Natsu knitted his brow, and she eyed him fixatedly.

"I'm both a Holder and Caster Celestial mage."

"You mean, you can use magic without your keys?"

"Basically, yes."

His eyes went wide, but before he could ask any questions, Lucy thought better and continued her story.

"The book also said my family, the Heartfilias, had been the only ones to master the Caster side. Before I could read more, the librarian entered the section, almost catching me. Capricorn led me out into the gardens of Crocus, right before I grabbed another book called _The Eight Grand Spells of the Solar System._ Now, that one is the important book. Like the title suggests, it's a list of eight spells, all based on the eight planets of the Solar System, Mercury, Venus, Earth—which we call Earthland—, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Each spell is affilliated to a planet and a god. For starters, the Earth Spell is the Healing Spell, the same one I performed on your nose—Sano Terram, controlled by the goddess Asclepius. The second one I mastered was the Light Spell, Venus Lucem, affilliated to Venus and controlled by two gods, Aphrodite and Apollo. The third was the Wind Spell, Urano Caeli, much like Wendy's Dragon Slayer magic, affilliated to Uranus and controlled by Aeolas. The one that followed… was the Fire Spell, Aestus Mercurius. Which failed. It's affilliated to Mercury and controlled by Hephaestus."

Natsu had grinned at the mention of 'fire', but it died when the word 'failed' came into the sentence.

"Why did it fail?"

"Because," she began, a sliver of a smile on her lips, "Maya showed up. That was when we first met. She was chasing some bandits on the forest, nearby my area, and thought I was one of them when she felt my magic aura. I made it pretty clear I wasn't, by helping her get them, putting aside the fact that if she hadn't interrupted me, I would have gotten the Fire spell under my control a lot sooner. After we caught them, I saw the mark on her wrist. A green, swirly dragon. I asked her about it, and her answer, that it was the mark of her guild, was the last thing I heard before I passed out."

"First out of three, in six months, from what I've heard."

She shrugged sheepishly. "Four."

"Four?"

"Four."

Natsu frowned at her, but she decided to disregard it.

"When I came to, I was in a bed, Dragon Claw's hospital wing. Maya and Loke were there, and he explained—with a theory of his own—that I fainted because my magic power was so high when I was trying to connect with the Fire God, and immediately dropped after I stopped using magic, thus making me faint. Maya apologized, and we talked. I told her what happened here, at the guild and what I had decided to do.

After my story, she told me to join Dragon Claw. I was hesitant at first, since I felt my heart resided here, with Fairy Tail—and still does—but thankfully, Ivy showed up at that exact moment. He showed me his magic and volunteered, with Maya, to show me around. I agreed, and the three of us had dinner together, where we got to know each other better and where I told him the same story I had told Maya. By the end of the night, I had decided that I would hang out with them. Maya asked me if I was going to join them, but I still said I'd think about it."

She took a deep breath.

"The next day, I went into the forest again, to train with Loke and Virgo."

"Train?"

"Oh, right," she said, and smiled. "I didn't just improve my magic. I improved my combat skills, too. A lot. My senses have gotten enhanced, my reflexes are faster, and I actually feel stronger."

"Shall we test that, m'lady?" Natsu mocked, smirking. She rolled her eyes.

"Moving on… we were in the middle of training when Maya and her Exceed, Tullip, showed up. Somehow, we ended up fighting each other, just for fun."

"Yikes, who are you and what have you done to Lucy Heartfilia?"

Her chest reverberated a small laugh, as she shook her head.

"After the fight, a tough one at that, Gajeel and Lily showed up. Since I was so shocked, Maya assumed he was some sort of enemy, and the ones fighting were suddenly two Dragon Slayers. I stopped them before it got too serious, asking Gajeel why he was there, out of every place he could be in. He told me it was a mission, and asked me the same question. I said went through with my plan, the plan of leaving to become stronger that I had told him. He was surprised, and congratulated me, before saying the inevitable—that you and the guild had realized I was gone."

He didn't comment, watching her inhale. And then, he remembered Gajeel's words during their fight, and froze on the spot.

"I asked him how you all reacted. He said… that you were glad I was gone, and, quoting his words and the guild's, 'it's a relief to have that nuisance away from us'."

Once more, Lucy ducked her head, not allowing him to see her teary, hurt expression. He gritted his teeth.

"He lied."

She yanked her head up, eyes wide. "What?"

Natsu stared at her with a burning look, his eyes piercing through her soul. A shiver went up her spine. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but there were tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He joined their hands together, still boring his eyes into her own browny depths.

"He lied, Lucy. That's not how I reacted, none of us said any of that bullshit," he said, in a surprisingly cracked voice. "I was devastated once I found out."

She parted her lips, seeing where this was going. As curious and desperate as she was to hear about it, she thought it would be easier if she finished her tale first.

"Natsu… I want to hear how you were doing, during my time away, I really do, but I think we should do this step by step."

Lucy couldn't help but think how ironic her words were. His lips twitched in a small smile.

"Well, we've already made out twice and said the 'I love you's, and we didn't do it step by step," he said, smirking. "But you're right, and I want to hear your side of the story first. Three, two, one, _go_."

She laughed softly, amused, before her face slowly turned grim again.

"I told Gajeel I was glad, too. You know… to look strong. It didn't really work, because the second he left, I broke down and had Maya hug me while I cried. In the midst of the tears and the anger, I told her to take me to Dragon Claw. I think my intentions were pretty clear."

She felt his thumb brush over her left hand, right over the tattooed red dragon mark.

"I got to meet Sam, a Snow mage and Ivy's best friend, as well as his sister, Eira, the Ice-Make mage of Dragon Claw. It wasn't long before I was introduced to Master Danny. I could tell, by his magic aura, that he was—or is, very powerful. He's… intimidating. But, just at first sight. He let me join the guild with no problems whatsoever, as long as I didn't leave the capital and stuck to doing jobs with Ivy and Maya. He really doesn't want to stand out.

The next day, I began working on the Fire Spell again. It wasn't working at first, because it's a very powerful spell and I had possibly made the god wary of me. Loke suggested I should think of things related to the spell, just like I had thought of him for the Light Spell and Wendy for both the Wind and the Healing Spells. I had to focus on the first thing that popped into my mind when I thought of fire. Yes, Natsu… I thought of you."

"Aw, I'm flattered," he said, in a whiny, baby voice. Lucy glared at him, blushing furiously.

"Idiot."

"Love you too, Luce."

She rolled her eyes, both grinning.

"Needless to say, it worked. It worked a lot better than anyone would have expected. I felt so powerful and strong that I ventured myself into mastering a second spell right after, the Strength Spell, Martis Vis, affilliated with Mars and controlled by Kratos and Ares. This one was easier to achieve because Maya meditated with me, I found out it was easier for me if I had a companion whose magic relates to the spell I was about to contract with. I felt that I still had enough power to master another one, and came face to face with Neptuno Glacie, the Ice Spell, which I would later on find out it's a double. It's the Ice and Water Spell, controlled by Poseidon and affilliated with Neptune. I didn't know it was also the Water Spell, so my best chance would be if Eira helped me. But, when I asked her, she refused."

Natsu frowned, and she shook her head.

"I can understand why. I was new and she didn't trust me yet. She's like that, or was—she was a bit of an emotionless girl. I talked to her brother about it. Turns out, their parents died when they were young, and she hadn't smiled ever since. I told him she'd get over it if he helped her, before I left for the woods. I was feeling emotional again, I was crying again… it didn't help that Gemini showed up as you."

"Wait, what?"

She sighed.

"According to them, I'm powerful to that point. They can impersonate you now."

"Holy… Lucy, like it or not, you're showing me this stuff."

She smiled, nodding. The smile didn't reach her eyes, however.

"So, why did they show up as me?"

"Gemini showed up as you because they thought I'd feel better, since I missed you so much… it only made it worse. I thought it was really you, I had such high hopes, but it wasn't."

"Lucy…"

She shook her head, waving her hands. "Hey, you're here now, that's way better."

They smiled at each other.

"Gemini stayed there with me, as you, holding me while I cried. I let myself fall for the illusion, just that once, just to make me feel better, even if it wasn't really you. After I was done, they left, and I tried to shake my thoughts away from you by trying to connect with Poseidon without Eira's help. It didn't work. My mind was filled with you, just you, and I couldn't focus because I wanted to start crying again. Before I could, though, Eira showed up. She apologized, and I just hugged her, telling her it was alright and that I understood her. She smiled. Hey," Lucy chuckled, smiling in nostalgia, which made his frown dissipate, "I made her smile."

Natsu grinned.

"That's my girl," he said, and she laughed. "Of course you made her smile. You're Lucy, who doesn't smile while looking at you?"

"Natsu…" she said, smiling with a blush of the same color as his hair. He just toyed with her fingers, head tilted slightly and trademark grin always present.

"What happened next?"

"Well, we mastered the spell with flying colors—literally. After contracting with Poseidon, the sky pratically turned into a nightly version of a rainbow. It was like a galaxy had merged into our skies, full of stars and colors. When Eira and I saw it, Master Danny, along with Maya, Ivy and Sam, showed up from behind a few trees. Master said the sky was proof that I gained the gods' trust, and that they were ready for me to master the remaining two spells—Jupiter Fulgus, the Thunder Spell, affilliated with Jupiter and controlled by Zeus, and Saturn Malgae, the Gravity Spell, affilliated with Saturn and controlled by the unknown Goddess of Gravity and Orbit, Phansi.

He also said something else. He said that the brief contact I had with the Fire Spell, the first time I tried to master it, was enough to activate what is called Bengalinis Magija—yes, weird name, don't comment," she said, seeing his raised brow and open mouth. "It's a process that creates an endless vessel of magic within you."

"Wait—you—that," he stuttered, and then his eyes went so wide to the point of matching saucers. "You have—_you can never run out of magic_?!"

"That's the idea. Master Danny said that Hephaestus allowed it in my body at the brief contact I had with his fire, because he immediately sensed… the strong bond I share with you, a Fire mage, and a powerful one at that."

"I'm the reason you can never run out of magic?" he said, grinning slightly. Lucy nodded, before she abruptly froze.

Wait_. Wait._

That was it. _That was it. __**That was it.**_

"That's it!" Lucy exclaimed, with wide brown eyes. "That's it!"

"That's it?"

"That's it!" she repeated, laughing jauntily as she jumped from the bed with her arms spread towards him. "It's _you_!"

"It's me?" Natsu repeated, grinning, as he pointed his index finger at himself. She nodded repeatedly.

"It's you, Natsu!"

It all made sense now. The power she felt when using Aestus Mercurius, the close bond she shared with Hephaestus and his fire, the activated endless vessel by Fire just for the strong relationship she had with Natsu, that strange feeling she had been having, aside from the regular tingles and stomach flutters, when he touched her—it was _him._

"I can't run out of magic when I'm near you!" she explained. "Only if I'm away from you! The closure of the vessel right after I mastered the remaining two spells and its sudden reopening after we reunited—it all makes sense now!"

"Uh, Lucy? Care to fill me in?"

She sat back down on the bed, surprising him by gently cupping his cheeks with her hands. Her smile was radiant, and it made his heart skip a beat.

"You're the reason I have infinite magic. When I'm near you, my magic is endless. If I'm away from you, my magic can run low. My endless vessel of magic is open and active when we're together, while it closes when we're apart."

Natsu blinked, taking in the information, before an involuntary grin made its way onto his lips. Lucy couldn't stop shaking her head and grinning, leaning her forehead on his.

"You're what keeps me going, Natsu."

* * *

**TCHANAAAAAN. The final clarification, for those with a lower IQ. Lol, I'm joking.**

**Like I said, the tension is still bottled up. Tecnically, Lucy and Natsu are saving it for later, and they seem more as if they forgot everything that happened, thus acting this careless and close.**

**Wouldn't it be nice to have fanart about this fic? That was me thinking aloud. I'm allowed to dream!**

**REVIEW, my lovely readers! (dramatically lowers chin to stare at the screen with dark eyes and a death glare) Or I'll wrap up this fic on the next chapter. Bah, just kidding.**

**Or am I? Hmmm…**

**I also want to thank everyone, especially bookworm0313, LoverofLucy, DragonFairy93, LisayaTomago, blumenwiese, Midnight9876 and many more, as well as all guests for your reviews! They 'keep me going' (see what I did there), I can say for sure that if I was a car, your support would be my fuel. Thank you for sticking with this story! Love you guys!**


	23. Forgiven

**Yeah, I was just kidding. For the love of god, this fic is **_**far **_**from over.**

**FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, I SAID BOTTLED UP TENSION, NOT **_**SEXUAL **_**TENSION. I'M NOT SAYING NATSU AND LUCY DON'T SUFFER FROM THE LAST ONE BUT STILL, I DID NOT MEAN SEX. THIS FIC TURNING INTO AN M? I'll say… **_**I wish.**_** I can't promise anything, but it's most likely to stay T. I'm not an expert at the stuff you pervs want, but I'll see how it goes.**

**YES. LUCY AND IVY'S BET IS STILL ON! (CACKLES) Also, ****who wished for Natsu to cry****?**

**Putting that aside… ENJOY.**

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath, moving to sit at the end of the bed with her legs dangling off the mattress. Natsu eyed her in anticipation.

"So, where was I?" she said, more to herself than as a question. "Ah, yes. After Master Danny explained that I had an endless vessel of magic, he said the gods wanted me to master the remaining two spells at once. Without hesitating, I did so, but it paid its toll on me. I passed out almost immediately after that and woke up only three days later. Second time faiting, but out of four times like I said, if I'm right."

"Four?" he repeated yet again, as if he didn't really believe it.

"Four. Natsu," she said, pursing her lips. "I'm serious, now. No more interruptions."

He batted his lips together, averting his eyes and nodding repeatedly, almost childishly. She smiled for a brief second.

"Here is when we start to draw closer to the whole incident with Bloodthirsty. After I woke up, Maya and Ivy pressured me into doing an S-Class mission with them, the one involving this human eating beast. At first, I refused, but Maya was persistent. Eventually, I agreed, with the condition of doing one simpler job first," she grimaced. "We ended up doing three. She didn't like it."

Natsu chuckled.

"After those three jobs, we boarded the next train that was headed for Onibus, and we arrived with no trouble whatsoever, Loke tagging along as we got out of the train," she continued, and closing her eyes and clenching her teeth, Lucy's voice tone took a much sinister edge to it. "This is where things start to get nasty. When we went to check the city's condition, we thought it would be easy, that we'd be able to contact the responsible for the mission in ten minutes or so. It wasn't like that.

The city was reduced to stone. All of the houses were crumbled to dust and rocks, there was no living soul to be seen, and to make matters worse, there were human organs and parts of corpses spread out everywhere. There was so, _so_ much blood. I think I'll never forget the stench, nor the horror."

Natsu's eyes had narrowed and his jaw had turned immobille as the words came out of her mouth, turning his hands to fists at Lucy's trembling voice and at the genuinely terrified hints in it. He had been told that it had been a disgrace, a destroyed town, but he never thought it had been that gory.

"We started to fear that the job requester wasn't alive, and decided to split up and search for survivors. I went by myself," she said, missing his worried frown. "There was, indeed, nothing left where I searched, except for piles of rocks and more human atrocity. I searched for a long time, maybe for hours, before Maya caught up to me, telling me that she had found survivors. An old man, that was traumatized by whatever he had seen, and a little six year old girl with her family slaughtered in front of her."

"Ruby."

Lucy nodded, frowning. She hadn't heard of the child ever since she was left taking care of Bloodthirsty.

"Is she alright, by the way?"

"Yeah. Wendy's been with her, and Asuka-chan too."

A rush of relief went through her body, as she sighed, before she straightened her back and let a stern expression override her features.

"I sort of took her under my wing, and asked her a few questions, including where the beast had gone to. When she gave us the directions, it was clear that it was headed for Magnolia. I didn't panic as much as I thought I would, even going to the forest nearby to check for more survivors. Maya yelled at me through the whole way, saying that we had to go help you and Fairy Tail, not to mention the town, but I wasn't listening. Only until I saw more corpses, and realized that there were indeed no more survivors.

Finding huge paw prints on the ground and having Maya sense Magnolia's scent were enough for me to decide and head for the town as fast as we could. We didn't find Bloodthirsty, though, Bloodthirsty found _us_, instead. We battled it for a moment, before I told them all, except Loke, to fly to Magnolia and warn the city watch. I was left taking care of it myself, but it was tougher than I expected. It got to the point where… where Loke and Virgo were fatally wounded and I had to send them back to the Spirit World. I faced it truly alone.

I was furious. I was furious at the beast, he hurt my spirits, he wanted to hurt Fairy Tail. I wanted it to suffer like I did. The problem was, when I summoned the Fire Spell, I could feel my magic levels going down all of a sudden, which I now realize was because I had been away from you all this time. I was too shocked and panicking too much, and before I knew it, I was flying across the forest, before everything went black."

He saw her breathe in, at the same time he did.

"It must have been hours before I woke up. I was still confused as to why my magic was running low, but I had no time to think about it. Somehow, I created a pair of wings with what was left of my magic, using my Wind Spell, and flew over to Magnolia as fast as I could. Thankfully, the town was already evacuated, but unfortunately, Bloodthirsty was there. I tried to make it stop from going any further, and without thinking, I made my whip tie around one of its horns, a bad idea because Bloodthirsty started running.

I lost focus, making my makeshift wings disappear, and all I kept thinking was how I was dangerously close to crashing against a house. I managed to get on its back, but it only lasted for a second. When I looked up, I saw Fairy Tail's guild building, and how fast we were approaching it. I tried to stand, to do anything, but I lost balance and caught its fur out of luck to not fall off. I could see my whip, tried to get a hold of it, to do something, _anything_, but then Bloodthirsty stopped running. And, it had been running so fast, that just by the sudden stop, I was sent flying off of it… and crashed through the guild's window."

She gulped audibly, finally looking at him in the eye.

"And the rest… you already know."

He stared at her, wordless, deep in thought. Silence ruled over the room, so thick and flawless that, if Natsu focused enough, he'd perfectly hear Lucy's blood running in her veins. He had no words to describe the innumerous reactions he had felt bursting within himself, still shocked, angry, worried and just speechless at the story she had shared with him. It left him bewildered, even if happy, at how easily she told him all of this, when she should be wary of him and having serious trusting problems regarding him. He cringed inwardly.

"I didn't feel glad."

She knitted her brows.

"When I realized you were gone, I didn't feel glad," he began, crossing his arms and looking away. "I felt horrible. Everyone did. I broke down in front of the whole guild, and still can't believe that I did it, when gramps told me you might never be back. He forbade me from leaving to search for you, something I definitely wouldn't obey, as usual.

I went to your apartment. It was empty. I felt like punching the walls until my fists bled. Your landlady came in before I could do that, and gave me your letter and your blanket. I didn't get it at all, your letter. Saying that you were meant to be Lisanna's replacement and a consolation prize for me… you couldn't even begin to imagine the outrage I felt when I read that, Luce. All the stuff you wrote about her, that she was a lucky girl, I thought 'Why the hell would I have kids with Lisanna?' and didn't get a shit of what you wrote in those parts."

Lucy's lips crooked down as he stood from the bed, a pink hue settling on her face. He walked a few steps from her, on a slow pace.

"And then you said you loved me."

Her heart skipped a beat when he stared at her over his shoulder, head tilted, onyx eyes hooded and huge smile taking over his lips. She had never seen him look so serene, and so satisfied.

"At that, I did react. I stopped reading the rest just because of that, because all I wanted was to freaking jump and dance all over the room," he continued, laughing while Lucy smiled. "I liked reading that—wait, I loved reading that. I loved the fact that you loved me. Kinda confusing but true."

He looked away from her, leisurely pacing around the room. He took a few moments, before stopping, his back still facing her.

"And then you said I'd never see you again. Damn, you can be a such a party pooper, Lucy."

The words were meaningly funny, accompanied by a breathless laugh, but the broken tone in his voice gave it all away.

"You'll never see me again. Lisanna is a lucky girl," he quoted, before he looked left, shaking his head. She widened her eyes at the lonesome tear running down his cheek. "What the hell, Lucy…"

She hugged herself, silent, frowning at his teary voice.

"You say you love me, that you want to kiss me breathless and passionately, that you want me all to yourself and to be mine, and then you say I'll never see you again?" he said, fully turning to her now and pratically glaring at her. "Just what the fuck, Lucy?"

"Natsu, I'm sorry…" she whispered, before she froze.

She was sorry? For what? For thinking he didn't love her because he ignored her for three months? For thinking she'd be doing him a favor by leaving him to his supposed happiness? For wanting to become stronger and independent? She forced her eyes closed, gritting her teeth as tears poured forth without any warning.

"I take that back," she said, sounding less angry than she wished she had. "I don't owe you any apologies, Natsu. _You_ do."

Natsu jolted at that, widening his eyes at the bare truth in her words. Lucy stared at him, inwardly attempting to look furious, to look serious, but she just looked heartbroken and fatigued. She didn't have the will to stay mad at him anymore, she just couldn't do it. She was both glad and frustrated with that.

"We've been acting as if this whole thing never happened…"

The kisses, the hugs, the laughs, the carefree behavior, all of it fruit of her unintended choice to ignore the tension that nestled between them.

He didn't answer, and she guessed he couldn't help but agree. She breathed in through her nose, hanging her head low. She'd been doing that a lot.

"You shouldn't do that."

She yanked her head up. "Do what?"

"Two things," he said, sounding enraged. Whether at himself or her, Lucy didn't know. "One, hang your head low like that, I told you I hate it. Two, forgive me."

"What?"

"You shouldn't forgive me."

She frowned.

"Natsu, I've already forgiven you. I've forgiven you and… the guild."

Immediately, his fist collided with the wall, so hard that it cracked and echoed throughout the room. The blonde jolted, a sound of fear and shock leaving her mouth.

"You _shouldn't_!" he exclaimed, crying and shaking. "I've put you through so much pain, Lucy! I don't—_I don't deserve your forgiveness_!"

"Natsu…"

_Please stop crying or I'll start crying myself…_

"I'm supposed to be your best friend! I'm supposed to be your partner, your _comrade_, and I failed every one of those responsibilities!" he cried out. "And I fucking ignored you for _three months_! Ever since I realized that, I've been asking myself what in the fucking hell possessed me to do that! Just—_argh_!"

He screamed like Lucy had never heard him scream before, and she sobbed when he dropped to his knees, clawing at his own hair as fire erupted from his body as a response to the swirl of emotions that must be juggling within him. Out of instinct, she jumped from the bed, not even bothering to hide her own crying as she kneeled in front of him. He sobbed when she threw her arms around him, resisting for a while, aware of the flames he was sprouting off.

"Don't, you'll get burned—"

"I'm linked to the God of Fire, Natsu, fire can't hurt me," she assured, tightening her embrace on him with tears rolling down her cheeks. He shook his head, sobbing, as the fire charged forward and engulfed the blonde, as if welcoming her into its confines.

"This fire, my fire, has already hurt you, Luce," he cried. "It wasn't physically, but it still hurt. I've hurt you. Gods damn it—"

His arms flew up to lock her so tight onto his chest, almost painfully, but Lucy answered by bringing her hand up to entangle it on his dishevelled rosy hair. They both rocked each other back and forth, crying into each other's necks, letting all the pain out, letting each other know that they'd be there through ups and downs _together_, and would no longer be apart. The mistakes were there, perhaps permanently, but time would scar them. They would look at this, Natsu would look at the scars, Lucy would look at the scars—they would be a reminder to him to never do it again, they would be a reminder to her of the painful memories. Painful memories that he'd do his best to help her overcome, to make it up to her, to become worthy of her trust once more.

Eventually, Natsu's fire and cries diminished, and they lay there holding tight onto each other's arms, in silence. Lucy felt his grip on her relax somewhat, the cue for her to slowly move back an arm's length and stare at his face. She smiled sadly. His eyes were swollen and red from crying so much, tears darting all the way down to his chin, his nose was runny and his mouth was partly open and dry. Lucy wiped his tears with her thumb, to which he sniffled and rubbed his wrist across his nose. Her chest puffed out for a second with her brief laugh when he started doing the same to her, his reaction similar to hers.

"You're all snotty," she said. He raised an eyebrow.

"Look who's talking."

She nudged him. "You shouldn't say that to a lady."

"You're far from a lady. But hey," he said, as a glare settled on her eyes, shrugging and smiling slightly when it started to soften. "You still look cute."

She eyed him, blinking and sputtering in embarrassment, as well as having another shade of pink on her cheeks. He lowered his hand from her face, both staring at each other in silence and unspoken care. He then inhaled.

"I searched for you. Kunugi, Clover Town, all over the north. But you were nowhere to be seen," he continued explaining, his voice husky from crying. There was a small pause. "One day, we found out Gajeel had seen you. I asked him why he hadn't brought you back, and he said something about respecting you, but that's not even what pissed me off."

He gritted his teeth, feeling the tears pooling behind his lowered eyelids.

"It's the fact that the bastard freaking told you I was glad you were gone."

Lucy remained silent, but there was a whirlwind of anger suddenly tugging at her insides. Gajeel had lied to her.

"I don't even… I don't even remember what I did to him. I fought him, I tried to beat him up, but I don't remember any of it."

"You were blinded by rage," she whispered, her tone anything but accusing. He slowly nodded.

"When I came to, Laxus was in front of me, asking me where you were during those three months. When I realized I didn't have an answer, which I should _have_, I realized how much of a jerk I was to you. I realized, like Laxus said… that it's my fault you left."

She didn't comment, but she didn't deny it either. She honestly didn't feel as if Natsu held all of the guilt—seeing Fairy Tail followed the same mistakes—but she didn't want to interrupt. She had to hear it until the end.

"I was confused. Not about you leaving… I just didn't get why I was so heartbroken with it," he continued, after breathing in. A ghost of a smile then passed his lips. "Lisanna. Like I said, she was the one to make me see it, to make me remember."

"Remember?"

He smiled at her, brushing his fingers over her hand. She felt her heart go wild at the emotion in his onyx eyes.

"I knew I loved you _way_ before you realized that you love me back. It sorta became even more clear, if possible, when," he halted, his chest stiffened, "… the future you died."

Lucy froze. She didn't want to go back there.

"When she died, I… I can't even describe how terrified I was, Lucy," he whispered, staring straight into her eyes. "Losing you… I can't even picture it. At the time, after the whole thing, I kept thinking I couldn't allow myself to let you escape my life like that, that I had to keep an extra eye on you."

He suddenly laughed, the sound so bitter that she cringed.

"What a fucking liar I am. To myself, no less."

She didn't want to reply. She was done feeling hatred, at least for Natsu. With that defined as her resolve, Lucy rubbed his shoulder, beckoning him to continue.

"I don't get it," he said, genuinely confused. "Why the heck did I suddenly decide to catch up with Lisanna and the Strauss's when I had just made clear to myself that I'd stick around you more often? It doesn't make any sense!"

"It's actually normal," she muttered. "It's something that tends to happen. When you start thinking about hanging out with someone else and you actually do it, even if only slightly at first, you lose contact with certain other close friends you have."

"Why the hell does that happen?"

She shrugged, much to his confusion. Natsu shook his head, mumbling something about it being stupid, but Lucy didn't comment.

"I went looking for you again, and this time I had your location. Metal freak gave it to me, after we practically yelled at each other. During the… train ride," he paused to shudder and slap a hand over his mouth, face turning slightly green. Lucy rolled her eyes, waving her hand for him to continue. He breathed in. "During the train ride, I met that Time Arc mage from Dragon Claw."

"Peter?"

"Yeah, that one. He said he knew where you were, so I followed him. I don't know where he wanted me to go, but I didn't care, because I caught your scent when we got to the capital. I followed it and found an apartment, but you weren't there."

"I was probably already on my way to the S-Class mission…"

"Right," he said, exhaling sharply. "Although you weren't there, your maid spirit showed up."

"Virgo?"

"Yeah. She said she wanted give you your whip, since you didn't have it with you."

_Wait, that means he was there while I was already on my mission._

"I asked her to tell me where you were, but she didn't. She said your spirits are angry with me," he said, and Lucy couldn't help but wince at the truth in his words. "But I think she isn't all that angry, because she brought me to Dragon Claw, saying I needed to find you, and fast."

She blinked in surprise.

"She did?"

"Yeah. And I get it why. But, I don't know how I managed to trust Master Danny when he said you were on your way to Magnolia, since he's hella suspicious," he muttered, frowning heavily, "but I did. I did, and followed him back here, with his S-Rank mages. Just as we got there, I saw your partners."

"Maya and Ivy."

"Dragon Slayers," he concluded, and his lips twitched in slight mischief. "Nice choice, Lucy. I wonder why."

She rolled her eyes, blushing fervently. She hadn't realized the similarities before.

"We went to Fairy Tail, where Master Danny explained everything, and told us that we had to wait. That the beast was on its way here… I didn't think it'd end up like that," he spat, the memories of a bloodied and beaten up Lucy piercing through his mind. She gulped.

"I stayed by your bed for four days, Luce. Just waiting for you to wake up," he whispered. "And I ended up falling asleep for that. When I woke up, you weren't in there. Imagine the panic."

She sighed when he gazed into her eyes.

"I searched for you all over the guild, but didn't tell the others that you were missing. I didn't even know if you had just woken up, or been kidnapped, or even ran away again."

A sliver of regret pinched through her at the sorrowful words. He then breathed out, almost in relief.

"I found you. You were with Happy and Maya, talking, _crying_… I was about to step in, to let you know I was there, until you said it."

"Said it?"

He smiled for a brief second, almost approvingly.

"'I'm going back there. I'll talk to Natsu.' That was enough for me to let you go back to the infirmary, and…"

She needn't him to continue, and he knew that. The pair stood in silence, Lucy letting the information seep into her brain and Natsu basking in the stories they had just shared with each other. He had explained everything, that he hadn't held it well when she was gone, but that didn't mean anything. That didn't change what he did. He ended up breaking the silence again, remorse dipping in his tone of voice.

"What are you gonna do?"

She creased her brow. His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped dryly.

"You can't forgive me," he reminded, slightly bitterly. "What are we going to do?"

She frowned.

"Natsu, I've told you. I've already forgiven you, and that's that."

"Fine, I'm forgiven, but that doesn't change what I did."

Lucy opened her mouth, looking away.

"I… like I said, I've forgiven you," she said. "But that doesn't mean I've forgotten it. I don't—I don't know if I can trust you anymore, Natsu…"

He ducked his head, nodding slowly. She heard him breathe in.

"Then we're—we're going to stay away from each other?"

"That seems like the best option…"

Silence washed over them once more, neither looking at one another in the eye.

"I don't want that."

"I don't want that."

They jerked their heads up, chocolate brown meeting raven black. They had spoken at the same time. Lucy frowned, her shoulders deflating, while he stared at her with wide eyes and parted lips. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, bringing their faces closer.

"We've been away from each other for six months, any minute longer and I'll lose my mind," she admitted, looking pained. "We can't. I can't stay away from you, Natsu."

"And I can't stay away from you, Lucy," he said, leaning his forehead on hers. He liked doing that. A subtle way of telling her that he was her protector. "If we can't stay away from each other anymore, then what will we do?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I love you, I forgive you, and I want to be with you. The memories are still there, Natsu. I forgive you, but that doesn't mean that what you and guild did is gone. I know that, with time, the memories will scar and the pain will disappear, but only if you're there to help me through it," she said softly, and cupped his face with her hands. "Only if you're there to—to make sure that I'll be able to trust you again. Because all I want now is you, Natsu…"

He nodded, seizing her wrists.

"I'll make it up to you, I swear. From now on, I'll be with you every second of the day, bathroom and all!"

Lucy cringed, flushing red and glaring at him.

"That's getting too close!"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll close my eyes."

"Natsu!"

He scowled.

"_Fine_, I'll stay right outside the door."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, but seemingly deemed his resolve acceptable. It was acting clingy, but she missed him. She'd let him be clingy in the meantime, because she guessed she'd cling to him too for a while, even if it was unlike her character.

"And you'll have to do something to get back at me," he said, crossing his arms. "Like, forcing me to do something I hate for three months!"

"Natsu, we don't have to go that far."

"Lucy, we have to go that far," he mocked. "Be grateful, this is a one in a lifetime opportunity."

"I don't even know what to do."

"Come on, you know me like the back of your hand."

"Err… you'll have to read my new novel?"

"Seriously?" he deadpanned, grinning in amusement. Lucy mentally slapped herself. _What the hell…_

"I told you, I don't know," she said, glaring at him in frustration. "Sleep on the floor?"

He cringed at her suggestion, but then again so did she. It would be a lie to say she didn't miss his warmth during the nights she slept over at her current apartment.

"N—No, don't do that," she said, waving her hands. He raised an eyebrow, smirking, to which she rolled her eyes with a blush.

"Little Miss Lucy missed me sleeping in her bed?" he teased, and she growled, making him clean his throat and drop the cocky attitude. "C'mon, Luce. Think."

"Uh, don't start fights? For three months?"

Natsu straightened his back, while she waved her forefinger in a decisive manner.

"I choose that. Don't start fights—actually, you'll have to do whatever I tell you to for three months. Don't fight, don't cause commotions and don't destroy stuff, unless you've been told so."

He pouted. "I'd complain."

"But you don't have the right to."

"Exactly."

They smiled sadly at each other. Like Lucy had said, time would heal the pain. With a long sigh, Natsu got up to his feet, helping Lucy to her own and purposefully making her stumble onto his chest. She didn't really complain, much to his pleasure.

"Are you gonna talk to gramps and the rest of the guild now?" he asked, against her hair. He guessed her shoulders tensing were a no.

"That's… what time is it?"

"Not sure, but it's dark outside. Probably half past eight."

Lucy closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I want to see my apartment."

"What?"

She stepped back from him, slightly frowning.

"It's getting late, and even though I've been sleeping for four days and a half, I'm getting tired from all the crying. I'm definitely not sleeping here."

"Why not?"

"For the love of Mavis, I need a shower," she said, grimacing. "And I want a comfy bed…"

Dang, hers was at the capital.

Natsu's lips twitched in a smirk, as he stared down, right past her neck. Lucy narrowed her eyes at his apparent audacity.

"Just what are you staring at?" she inquired, crossing her arms over her chest. He grinned.

"That's my shirt."

She blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"That shirt's mine," he said, fingering the fabric of the white tee-shirt. "According to Wendy, when we got you here your clothes were all dirty and you were all bloodied, which didn't make things easy for her. Mira washed you real quick, and dressed you up with the first thing she could find, which happened to be that shirt."

"Why did you keep your shirt here in the first place?" she asked, creasing her brow. He shrugged.

"No idea. But it came in handy!" he defended, grinning.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the heat on her cheeks as she tugged at the shirt. Natsu heard her mumble something, and he smirked slightly, cocking his head to the side.

"What was that?"

She glared a him, knowing fully well that he had heard her. Either way, as she pulled the collar to her nose, she repeated it.

"Now I get it why it smells like you."

He chuckled, and pecked her on the lips, before wrapping his arms around her once more. Lucy took the opportunity to ponder on her situation, as she leaned her head on his shoulder. She had to start thinking on what she was going to to. Was she going to move back to Magnolia?

_Wait_, she thought, _what about Maya and Ivy? I don't want to leave them…_

"You're tense. Relax," he said, crisscrossing her thoughts.

"I just have a lot of unresolved stuff. I don't know what to do."

He kissed her forehead.

"You can think of that tomorrow."

Lucy sighed, nodding against her wishes. He was right. She had already dealt with enough problems for the day.

"And you can run into my arms today."

Natsu and Lucy startled at the intrusion. The ginger haired spirit smiled, and the blonde stared at him, wide eyed and yet again at the brim of tears.

"Loke!"

She did exactly what he had suggested, feeling him chuckle and hug her just as tightly. Natsu smiled.

"Are you okay?" she asked, while stepping back. "Gods, I was so worried!"

"Immortal spirit, remember Lucy?" he said, flicking his temple teasingly. "I can't die."

"But you can feel pain!"

He smiled. "I'm alright now, Lucy. It's you I'm worried about."

As if on cue, he raised his head, staring into Natsu's eyes with clear bottled up anger and a held back impulse to smash the salmon haired mage to bits. Natsu stared back defiantly, arms crossed and face stern. Lucy put herself between both males, waving her hands and showing Loke a calm expression.

"It's okay, Loke. We're settled."

"Yeah, you and him," he said, clenching his jaw in Natsu's direction. "Don't think I won't hesitate in punching you so hard you'll see stars when Lucy isn't there to protect you, Dragneel."

"And I won't hesitate to fight back."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "What happened to your promise?"

Natsu blinked, confidence and determination broken for a moment, before he scowled, almost like a pout.

"Damn it. I know that I messed up, badly, but I only take punches from her, Loke."

"The people Lucy needs to punch are people I need to punch," he threatened, but made it sound less menacing than expected. "However, I feel her thoughts, and as her spirit, I will obey her and I won't hurt you. For now."

Natsu didn't answer. Loke turned to Lucy, who had been frowning at the whole conversation.

"Guess what, princess."

"I don't feel like guessing."

He rolled his eyes, smirking.

"Capricorn and I moved some of your stuff from your apartment at the capital. If you want to relive old memories, you might as well go to your old apartment."

"Seriously?" she asked, smiling widely. He nodded, returning her lip gesture. "Thank you! You didn't have to do that for me, guys!"

"Nonsense," he said, adjusting his shades. "But for now, I must go. My beloved Aries awaits me."

"Best not to keep her waiting, then," Lucy said. He smirked, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

She let herself feel relief, smiling at the prospect of Loke being alright, as Natsu's arms snaked around her waist from behind. She felt him lean his lips on her ear, as well as his grin, and couldn't help but place her hands on his and sigh at his touch.

"Let's go home."

A feeling of nostalgia washed over her at his words. Home. She was home.

* * *

"Didn't you and Lucy have a bet planned?"

Ivy craned his neck from his fizzy drink, knitting his brows at a smirking and cocky looking Maya. He didn't catch a word of what she had said, regardless of how triumphant she sounded—for some reason.

"Or are you going to chicken out?"

"What?" he said, confused. She rolled her eyes, grinning openly.

"Your bet with Luce. Surely you're not going to cower back, right?"

His bet with Lucy? His bet with Lucy, his bet with Lucy… oh. Oh. Hold up. _Hold the fuck up—_

"Wha—who—you—" he stammered, the pink in his cheeks contrasting with his midnight blue hair. "How did you…?"

"Dragon Slayer abillities, baby," she replied, shrugging as if it was the simplest thing that existed. "So, are you planning on backing down or…?"

Ivy raised his brow in surprise, smirking slightly at the blush rising on her face. Screw those who said she was too wild—she was the cutest thing alive to him.

"That depends, do you want me to?" he asked, tentatively, turning on his seat over the bar with his arms crossed and a mischievous glint to his oceanic eyes. She shrugged, failing to give him a sly grin and smiling sheepishly instead.

"That depends, do you still want me that way?" she asked, quietly, almost shyly. He was having a fit with himself at the prospect of being the one to witness this side of her. It was both frightening and delightful.

Ivy pressed his chin to his hand, pretending to ponder on her words, before he leaned forward and subtly, quickly gave her a peck on the lips. He thought her wide green eyes and vivid red blush on her cheeks perfectly fit for a priceless reaction, and almost laughed aloud.

"Does that answer your question?"

She blinked multiple times, trying to register what had just happened. Ivy just kissed her. Ivy just _kissed_ her. It was an innocent and all too small peck on the lips, but it was still a kiss. An involuntary beam was drawn to her lips.

"I think it does."

He grinned. Mission accomplished.

* * *

**There, MaIvy is now canon. On this fic. Yeah, I wish Mashima would like these ideas too, guys.**

**Not a 6,000 words chapter but almost there. I hope you liked these small plot twists, and don't worry, she will face the guild soon. Tension. **

**Speaking of which, tell me your thoughts in a REVIEW: do you wish Lucy to forgive the guild, albeit still doesn't trust them like before, or do you want her to hate them and create even more drama? I just want to guess how many followers I'll lose, haha… (crying).**

****Before I go, guys… I read a NaLu fanfic that simply left me… **_**what the hell.**_** It's the most reviewed NaLu fanfic in here, it's in progress, and it's just… super confusing and prone to leaving people queasy. The situations that happen are impossible for someone like Natsu or Lucy, and pretty much embarrassing. Sure, it's well written, but they've captured the character's personality in a way that is inaccurate. I don't know… it left me kinda grossed out. It's… just a big **_**NO**_** for me. Not hating on the fic, just saying it's not my style. Too much drama.****

**Once again, REVIEW. Please. See, I asked nicely!**


	24. Rekindled Flame

**Sorry for the delay, but get used to it… ****school's starting****.**

**HOLY SHIT WHO READ THE NEWEST MANGA CHAPTERS? I'M FREAKING OUT.**

**Yahooooo I'm not gonna lose all that many followers! And the fic I mentioned is **_**Adherence**_**. Go ahead and read it, you may like it. I didn't because it has way too many misunderstandings, and is so incredibly dramatic.**

**Aren't you guys lucky. This chapter is complete and utter **_**NALU FLUFF. **_**Full of love, Natsu stupidity and even more love. I guess your wish has been granted, ArrowsIronJr! It's also to make it up for the tragedy dawning on Fairy Tail lately…**

**WARNING: MILD SEXUAL THEMES.**

* * *

It was bright. Too bright. As if the sun suddenly decided to hover by the window for a visit, the curtains all too thin to block the searing light.

Natsu groaned, planting the back of his hand over his eyes as an attempt to impede his vision from burning away. He had an exceptionally good night's sleep, muscles relaxed and all, and he intended to prolong it. If it weren't for the fact that the sun was practically boring holes into the room, making it impossible for him to go back to sleep. Darn it.

He cracked his eyes open, flinching at the sun rays that intruded on his sight, and lazily arched himself off the mattress to sit up. Despite what he had expected, the room was overall dark. It had been the light, through the small gap between the pair of curtains, that had aimed directly for his face. Either way, Natsu had been woken up from his nice slumber, which was not at all pleasing. The salmon haired mage grimaced.

Mid yawning and stretching, something occurred to him. His entire body froze, eyes going wide and breath hitching, before he shifted his position to his right. Panic boiled within him at the sight of an empty space and ruffled sheets, lacking the pretty blonde he was expecting to find.

Lucy.

"Lucy?" he called, in a groggy voice. When he received no answer, a deep frown began marring his face. "Lucy!"

Without waiting for a reply, Natsu bounced from the bed, disregarding the fact that he was merely sporting his white slacks with his scarf secured around his hips, and made a beeline for the small living room. It was one of those rare moments where fear took its place on his chest, stomach turning at the possibility of his newly returned blonde to have made a run for it. She had indeed felt scared, he smelt it clearly over the previous night, but had she felt scared to the point of backing down and running away again?

Natsu gritted his teeth. No, that was impossible. Still, he had to find her.

As he unceremoniously stepped into the kitchen and parted his mouth to call out for her once more, he was met with a startled and baffled Lucy standing in the room. She was seemingly preparing to step out, two mugs filled with steaming coffee on her hands, and she had the roughest bedhead Natsu had ever seen. She was still wearing the clothes she picked to sleep, a loose tee-shirt of a worn pink color and thin shorts.

"Good morning?" she said, hesitant, blinking in confusion at his shocked face and settling the mugs on the counter. "Err, I made coffee."

He didn't comment. The only reaction she got was him stomping over to her side to yank her into his arms, drawing a sound of surprise from her mouth as he heaved a sigh of relief over her ear. Lucy smiled serenely, returning the embrace just as tightly.

"Did you think I had left?" she asked, against his bare shoulder. He deflated.

"Yes and no," he whispered, breathing in her comforting scent. "When I woke up without you next to me, obviously I panicked."

"Well, like I said, I was making coffee."

He nodded, a more relaxed smile drawn to his lips. She giggled when he began rocking them back and forth, their cheeks pressed against each other's, and somehow, the embrace became an awkward dance around the kitchen. They swayed and spun on their feet, much to Lucy's joy, yet surprise.

"Natsu, what—?"

"Shush," he hissed, snickering.

Lucy laughed in surprise when he twirled her around in a sloppy manner, a cheeky grin on his face, before resuming their uncoordinated dance that resulted in knocked out chairs and booming laughter. Natsu pressed her against the table, one hand on each side of her hips, as both struggled to stop laughing at their own stupidity.

"W—What was that for? I thought you didn't like dancing?" she asked, giggling uncontrollably when he nuzzled his nose on her cheeks. He was being awfully affectionate… not that she minded.

"Eh, who says I can't?" he mused, shrugging with that grin of his all over his face.

Lucy grinned back, ghosting her fingers on the pink strands that fell messily over his forehead, other than being styled upwards like the usual. She decided she liked this look on him, as she briefly eyed his naked chest and that tousled hair of his. He looked feral, if not irresistible. She could definitely get used to waking up beside him, with a side bonus of being the only one to see him like this.

Suddenly, Natsu raised his eyebrows at her, Lucy blinking at his expression of pure surprise and satisfaction. He grinned slyly at her.

"Were you just _checking me out_?" he questioned, his tone doused with a mix of disbelief and malice, and his lips spread in a wicked grin. She jolted, face glowing darker than his hair and her shirt.

She had just been caught in the act and she didn't even know she was doing it.

"I—you—n—no!" she stuttered. Natsu laughed evilly, much to her embarrassment. As if she wasn't suffering from it enough.

"You _so _were," he accused, smirking when she blushed scarlet red. "Naughty Lucy. I can't say I blame you, though."

She sputtered when he winked seductively at her, rolling her eyes with that blush still persistent on her face. She then felt his calloused fingers on her chin, his intentions more than obvious, but she slapped her forefinger on his lips when he closed his eyes. The action made him snap his eyes open, blinking in confusion, and slight disappointment. She pouted playfully.

"You always get to initiate the kisses…" she complained. He snickered, tilting his head teasingly.

"Go ahead then, Luce."

She complied in a heartbeat, her hands pressed to the nape of his neck and his own grasping her hips, their lips moving as if continuing their brief dance around the room. Lucy was very well aware that they had kissed more than once—heck, their first kiss had been one heated make-out session—but she the taste of Natsu's mouth was never explored enough to her no matter how many times they engaged in these actions.

She couldn't exactly describe it, and she was the writer in there. It was like some strange yet pleasing combination of flavors she had never experienced before. He didn't taste like mint or strawberries, like those sappy romance novels she read. He just tasted like… Natsu. His lips were rough like his behavior and felt hot like his fire. And it was more than satisfying.

Natsu himself thought that the way her mouth felt against his own was just heavenly. Her lips were so plump and so inviting—he had refrained himself from stealing a kiss or two from her way before she left. Now though, he could knock himself out and experience it as many times as he wished, relishing in the softness and the taste that made it just so incredibly _Lucy_. He loved it. He was pretty much addicted to her lips now, he loved kissing her, and could never get enough of her.

The moment their lips touched for the first time had felt so amazing to him, and just so _right _and so _good_ that he couldn't stop himself, thus making their first kiss a hot one at that. It had been as if those months of bottled up desire to be this close to her, to have her all to himself, had burst forth and taken control of the situation. The rational side of his mind had called out for him, saying it had definitely been not an appropriate way to approach a crying Lucy, but when she hesitantly started kissing him back, he sent all of his common sense to hell and pretty much possessed her lips.

A loud wet sound that left their lips when Lucy pulled apart distracted both mages from their thoughts, her breathing erratic, and foolish, relaxed grin up his face.

"Finally," he murmured, reclosing his eyes as he leaned his forehead on hers, something Lucy already considered to be a fettish of his. She hummed.

"Finally what?"

"_Finally_," Natsu repeated, and when he reopened his eyes, she lost herself in the deep onyx color and the overwhelming emotion she felt radiating in his gaze, "we're like this. Together."

The blonde couldn't help the smile that crept to her face, and she bit on her lower lip as some sort of girly defense mechanism. Natsu's eyes narrowed slightly at the gesture, clearly perceiving it as something very enticing, and he grinned, before stealing another kiss.

"Yeah, finally," she agreed, before he kissed her again, much to her inner elation.

"Hmn," he mused, rubbing mindless circles on her hips with his thumbs, slightly under her shirt. She flushed pink. His hands felt nice on her skin.

"Hey," _kiss_, "the coffee," _kiss,_ "is getting," _kiss, _"cold…" _kiss._

"Leave it," he mumbled, never stopping his kissing nor his hands on her sides. "We'll just kiss and make-out for the rest of the day."

Lucy rolled her eyes internally. As much as she loved this side of him and felt her body react positively at his suggestion, she had some… _work_, to be done.

"We can't, Natsu, remember? We have to go to the guild…"

It might as well be classified as a suicide mission.

Natsu abruptly stopped at the mention of their 'family', knowing she was right. On the previous night, he had gone over to the guild hall to warn everyone that she'd face them on the next day, that she wanted to relax at home beforehand, and both left through the backdoor. Gladly, it was dark, so nobody saw how undressed she was, and he was by her side in case uninvited _people_ happened to be around. There had actually been a couple of guys that had eyed her up and down, but before they could even begin catcalling, Natsu sent them the deadliest glare he had ever come up with, practically growling. Needless to say, they scrammed within seconds.

Their time awake hadn't been all that long. Lucy had beamed at the sight of her old place, and he couldn't help but grin back at how happy she was. They talked for a bit, while laying on her bed, of old times and opportunities they had missed. The latter was started by her. Eventually, she had fallen asleep, and with a smile on his lips, Natsu turned off the lights and joined her under the covers, and it wasn't long before they were both lost in their dreamlands, cuddling close. It was as if they were making up for the times he slept in her bed and they kept their distance—that night, Lucy had refused to let go of Natsu during her sleep. It made his chest inflate with pride and joy.

"On second thought," Lucy said, her voice tinged with panic, before the tone expertly switched to the one he remembered her using before, during her sex appeal moments, "we can stay home. Yeah, we can just stay home, just with each other, in bed, kissing all day, maybe even doing something more… ne, Natsu?"

She softly bit on her lower lip, giving him her best tantalizing gaze. Man, she was doing it on purpose, and it was working. The reason as to why her sex appeal always failed during their missions would forever remain a mystery to him.

Natsu fought the incoming grin, showing her a split second smirk instead, before frowning. As much as his brain screamed 'hell yes!' at her words and his body threatened to shudder with the way she was looking at him, he knew she was doing it to not face the guild.

"You can't avoid them forever, Lucy."

She immediately turned grim, staring at her feet with panic seeping into her chest. Natsu lifted her chin, sealing his lips on hers in a lingering kiss.

"It's gonna be fine."

"How do you know that?" she inquired, her voice trembling. He settled his chin on top of her head when she leaned forward, her forehead against his collarbone and her arms tight around him.

"Luce, I've been with them during those six months, remember?" he reminded, and suddenly tightened his hold on her. "Except the weeks I left to search for you…"

"Natsu…" she breathed, closing her eyes. "I'm… sorry."

"Don't be. It's my fault anyway."

Lucy knew very well that he was aware of the her forgiveness, but his broken and so utterly guilty voice made her realize how truly sorry he was. If she put herself in his shoes, for a while, she'd realize how bad he felt about himself. The question was, did the guild suffer from the same pain?

"Natsu, I've already forgiven you. Alright?" she said, looking at his hooded, raven black eyes. "I love you, I've forgiven you, we'll overcome this _together_. So, please, stop feeling so guilty. If you're sad, I'm sad."

The Fire mage frowned at her, but remained silent.

"Please? For me," she whispered, softly. "Smile, Natsu. For me. I love your smile."

_It's one of the things I love most about you…_

She had mumbled the last words a little hesitantly, but he had clearly heard it. She saw his lips spread in an unintended smile, and Lucy returned the gesture just as widely, regardless of the pink hue on her cheeks.

"Just my smile?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes.

"You get the drill."

He chuckled briefly, and caught her mouth in his yet again. Lucy wanted to melt into him once more, wanted to just let him have his way with her, but she knew he wouldn't speed things up now unless she left to see Fairy Tail once and for all. Him briskly pulling away and eyeing her knowingly was proof of it. She huffed slightly.

"Okay, okay. After breakfast," she muttered, her lithe fingers tracing the cross shaped scar that tarnished his left abdomen. The one branded by none other than Future Rogue.

Natsu grinned approvingly, while turning for a moment to grab their coffee mugs. Lucy nibbled on her lower lip, her gaze involuntarily driven to the taut area just beneath his smaller back. Dang, those loose slacks offered her little satisfaction as to what she wanted to detect. He should start wearing tighter pants, just for her.

"You're doing it again," he said, in a sing-song voice. She jolted, her blush darkening. Natsu was giving her a malicious grin over his shoulder, an alluring glint beaming in his dark eyes.

"Doing what?" she asked, looking away as if clueless to his accusation. He snickered.

"Checking me out," he said, putting her pink mug on her hands. He tipped his head to the side, still grinning deviously. "So, Luce, do I have a good ass?"

"I—Idiot!" she squeaked, embarrassed. The Fire mage just tilted his head back in laughter, and sipped on his coffee.

Lucy grumbled, mimicking him with averted mahogany brown eyes. Thankfully, the beverage was still warm, and being less hot than it had been freshly poured made it easier for her to drink. She wasn't surprised when Natsu lit his hand on fire, the drink in the mug bubbling. He had always liked his morning coffee hot.

The moment reminded her of the times she woke up because of him, either for spotting—or feeling—him in her bed or hearing his boisterous entry through her window. She always chided him for being so loud and waking her up, but they always ended up having breakfast or drinking their morning coffee together. Lucy smiled, a soft blush tainting her cheeks. Now though, it'd be quite different. She wouldn't yell at him or scold him for sleeping in her bed anymore. She wouldn't complain about cooking breakfast for both anymore. And, she guessed, she wouldn't be awoken by the window cringing as often as before, because he'd probably be right next to her under the covers, shaking her silly in her sleep instead.

"What's with the creepy smile, weirdo?"

Lucy flicked his nose, to which he grunted, the blonde fuming playfully at his way of addressing her.

"Just thinking."

"'Bout what?" he asked, looking up at her while drinking from his mug. She shrugged, smiling even wider against her cup.

"About how I could get used to waking up like this."

He grinned. "You will get used to it, like it or not, 'cuz I'm not going anywhere, Luce."

"I wouldn't want you to, anyway," she said, smiling so widely that her eyes gleamed. He retrieved the gesture in his own brightening manner of his, both simply gazing into each other's eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Lucy began munching on her bottom lip again, unable to contain both her blush and her smile.

"So, I can safely say that…" she began, tapping her fingers nervously against her mug, "You're my boyfriend, now?"

Natsu gave her a grin that was laced with mischief and delight, donning the rest of his coffee and briefly turning to place the empty mug on the sink.

"Boyfriend, best friend, partner," he listed off, before replacing himself over her, his arms caging her against the table, "fiancé, husband, you name it."

Lucy nearly choked on her drink.

"H—Husband?!" she stuttered, surprised. He laughed, and she felt her cheeks burn. "S—Step by step, Natsu!"

"Fine, I'm your boyfriend. And you're my girlfriend."

Her heart leapt at the words, and so did his. He smirked.

"For now. You're still gonna be my wife."

Lucy rolled her eyes, side stepping him to join her mug with his on the slippery sink.

"Step by step, dragon boy."

Even though her tone was admonishing, she was clearly not mad, an exquisite happy smile drawn to her lips. Natsu grinned again, urging a squeak from her lips when he hoisted her up in his arms, her legs dangling off modestly and her hands instinctively flying up to latch onto his neck.

"N—Natsu, what are you doing?" the blonde asked, voice whimpery, but she was giggling.

"We're going to the guild, remember? Chop-chop!" he said, while moving around the house, heading for her bedroom.

"You don't have to carry me for tha—_ow_!"

Her legs and head had banged against the door frame as a result of his distraction, and he cringed when she winced in pain. So much for fun time.

"Shit, Luce, are you okay?" he asked, entering her bedroom slowly, with caution.

To his surprise, her throat gurgled with a giggle, soon enough erupting into a guffaw, and then a full on laughter attack. Natsu beamed when she tossed her head back, effectively bending her body in his arms, as she cackled openly into the air. The Fire mage didn't take long before he was just as uncontrolled as her, the two laughing at their own imbecile antics. It wasn't easy, but Natsu managed to place the laughing Celestial mage on top of her bed.

"You weirdo!" he exhaled, struggling to catch his breath like her. "I hit you against the door and you start laughing?!"

"It's—it's your own fault!" she accused, but she was still giggling. Natsu pouted.

"I didn't do it on purpose…"

Lucy shook her head, her grin coming close to matching his trademark one.

"I know."

His pout vanished when her hands came up to his face, replaced by his characteristic grin and a glint to his slanted eyes, so overwhelming with happiness and an emotion that nearly made the blonde cry. She could identify it now, how she did was a mystery to her, but she just knew what it was.

Love.

"Natsu…" she whispered, her smile enlargening and her own cocoa eyes earning that same twinkle. "I love you."

If possible, the pink haired mage's grin widened, and that emotion in his gaze increased. His calloused hands laced around her soft ones by his cheeks, as his head leaned forward to promptly touch foreheads.

"I love you too, Lucy."

She let out a breathy giggle, her smile turning into a grin, before she threw her arms around him. Natsu laughed, retrieving the embrace just as tightly, and dragging her with him as he fell backwards onto the mattress. She felt his lips brush over her ear.

"So much," he murmured, kissing her lobe. She instantly started squeezing him, as if saying the same.

She stood on top of him with her face buried in her pillow for a few moments, and eventually slid back as best as she could to hover over his body with an unintentional wide smile. Natsu subtly looked up and down, lingering on the long golden locks that cascated down her shoulders in disarray and framed her flushed face, her big, chocolate brown eyes which deeply gazed into his own, and those incredibly soft looking curves on her body. He lost it when she bit on her bottom lip. He suddenly just didn't give a crap if it was out of character for him.

"Damn, Luce, you're so beautiful."

Lucy giggled slightly, caught off guard, and bowed her head to capture his rough lips on her tender ones. He grinned into the kiss, gently grasping her slim waist. She squeaked when he rolled over to take the lead, a breathless laugh leaving her mouth when she felt him kiss her neck. When he continued his ministrations on her sensitive skin, her eyes slowly drooped and her lips parted with a faint intake of breath. A soft moan left her swollen lips when his teeth sunk into the flesh, sucking slightly, and Lucy squirmed, helpless to the myriad of sensations the Dragon Slayer was igniting in her body.

Just as she began considering the possibility of the situation escalating, Natsu dragged his fingers to her sides, and began tickling her out of the blue.

"N—Natsu!" she screamed, wriggling under his torture and laughing maniacally. "S—Stop, _hah_!"

"Make me!" he growled playfully, as she laughed and panted beneath him, twitching as an attempt to escape his hands.

"Natsu! S—Stop, come on!" she laughed, pressing her foot on his abdomen as hard as she could. It felt like a feather to him, though. He just grinned slyly, never halting his hands.

"You'll have to do better than that to stop the tickle dragon!"

"T—Tickle dragon?! For crying out loud—" she tossed her head back, giggling loudly. "Natsu, please, stop!"

"Nope!"

Lucy arched her back and closed her eyes, wheezing too loudly for his liking. "C—Can't breathe!"

Natsu froze, studying her carefully. She had sounded truly panicked.

"Hey, you okay?"

She reopened her eyes, exhaling sharply. He eyed her expectantly, and she stared back, silence dawning in the room. Without any warning, the blonde's hands lunged for his stomach and sides, mimicking his previous approach.

"Payback!"

Natsu rolled his eyes, completely unfazed, a smirk on his lips.

"Not ticklish."

"Ah, crap," she whined, letting her arms fall to her sides as a pout formed on her face. "Not fair!"

He laughed, and couldn't help but snag her protuded lower lip in a chaste kiss. She smiled when he nuzzled her nose, before she sighed, scrunching it.

"Okay, like you said, chop-chop. Go take a shower."

"Eh, why?"

"Because you stink."

He scowled, and when he prepared himself to retort, she clasped her hand on his mouth.

"Don't even argue! Go take a shower."

Natsu grumbled, but obeyed, jumping from the bed. She stretched her arms as he grabbed his clothes and made a beeline for the door, a long yawn leaving her mouth. She blinked confusedly when he stared at her from the door frame, his eyebrow raised.

"What?" she questioned.

"Am I supposed to go in first and wait for you?"

"Huh?"

"You're still sitting there. Didn't you tell me to take a shower?"

Lucy knitted her brow, lips pursing in bewilderment, before it sunk in. Her face burned in the hottest shade of red existent.

"I—I'm not showering with you!"

He looked lost. "But you just said—"

"I said 'go take a shower', that doesn't mean we're bathing together!" she squealed in embarrassment. He pouted.

"But you're my girlfriend now, isn't that rule supposed to be revoked?"

Lucy stammered, chewing on her bottom lip while looking away.

"N—Not yet."

_Why the hell are you denying him?! You dreamed about it practically everyday at the capital!_

Natsu parted his mouth for a moment, the meaning behind her words quickly carving its way into his brain. He slowly closed his mouth, slight smirk on his face, as he stared at the nervous blonde across the room. Sensing his gaze on her, she hesitantly stared back, meeting his calm smile and gentle eyes.

"Okay."

She blinked, his body disappearing behind the door. Her blush was still present, yet in a softer tone, and her mouth hung slightly open at his response.

Did he just say he could _wait_?

Her heart skipped a beat at the meaning of it, before she breathed in to calm herself, slapping her hands on her cheeks. Indeed, they now had that opportunity, something possibly both had dreamed of for some time. There was just one problem.

There was no time for that, now. They had other things to worry about.

* * *

Lucy breathed in the fresh morning air as they exited her apartment building, spreading her arms and enjoying the sensation of the summer sun seeping into her skin. Now this, she missed this a lot. Waking up and walking to the guild every morning, the hot sun on her skin and the fresh breeze of the river nearby surrounding her senses. It was July, so she opted by a frilly and white shirt with no sleeves, a pair of denim shorts and heeled sandals. Her hair was not loose, but it wasn't tucked into her latest side braid. She had chosen to wear her trademark—prior to leaving—pigtails, not just for rekindling memories, but also because the weather was unbelievably _hot._

"Hey, weirdo."

She straightened herself, staring at the beaming pink haired mage, who held out a hand in her direction. She blushed.

"Come on, it ain't going to kill us."

It surprised, yet made her smile, the fact that his cheeks matched his hair, despite his confident smile. With a beam of her own, she gracefully accepted his hand, giggling when he pulled her forward and intertwined their fingers, while already making his way down the street. In the reminiscence of nostalgia, Lucy hopped onto the riverside, swaying their joined hands back and forth. Natsu chuckled.

"Hey, no way, is that…?"

"Lucy-chan!"

She grinned at the fishermen, waving her free hand. Another thing she actually missed.

"Welcome back! And don't fall!"

"Make sure your boyfriend there catches you!"

Both flushed at the word, but they couldn't stop themselves from smiling tenderly at each other. Lucy glanced at the boat again, grinning while tightening her hold on his hand.

"He will!"

Finally, the day Lucy Heartfilia didn't deny it when somebody called Natsu Dragneel her boyfriend.

They slowly made their way to the guild, Lucy hopping down at some point. Looks and stares were received from all the passersby as they spotted their joined hands, but Natsu and Lucy, along with their pink cheeks, ignored them. They were together in the way they had so desired to be for so long, it didn't matter if there were stares anymore. In a way, they were all witnesses, proof that this was all real.

Eventually, they became face-to-face with the tall doors of their guild. She heard the familiar racket of them all talking right behind the doors, and her heart sped up. Natsu heard it, and felt her hand start to tremble, which he squeezed reassuringly.

"Luce, relax. Everything will be okay."

She pursed her lips, gulping slightly. Her eyes drifted to his, uncertain, hopeful.

"Promise?"

He nodded. "Promise."

She became silent, before inhaling.

"And you'll stay with me?"

He grinned. "Of course."

That seemed to be enough for her, and Lucy nodded repeatedly, breathing heavily. She raised her hand, latching it onto the handle, just as Natsu's mimicked hers on the opposite door. She glanced at him in surprise, and he smiled, consequently making her smile as well.

_Okay. I can do this. If Natsu's here with me, I can definitely do this._

With a twist of their wrists, the two pushed the doors open.

* * *

**Dangit, another cliffy, eh? I can't even stop myself, it's like a disease… CBD. Cliffhanger Bastard Disorder.**

**REVIEW if you know what Lucy meant with that 'Not yet'… (insert pervy face). Now seriously, I don't know if I'll change the rating… I actually want to, later on.**

**There's a problem. Since school just started, I'm going to take longer to update. I am very sorry, but it's a hard subject I picked... sorry.**

**And whoever wants my Tumblr just PM me… one of you asked for it so I thought maybe more of you wanted it.**


	25. Not Forgotten

**Guess what? It's not only school that's slowing me down. It's also the fact that I am working on a novel of my own (consider yourselves lucky that I bothered to even start this fic), and there are a few social troubles going on. Not to mention I just entered a dance academy, but I still try my best to write new chapters. It's one of the toughest school years I've had so far, so don't sue me. Ditch this if you want, I don't care. Your loss.**

**Also, this might just be the last chapter of Lucy/guild angst, but there will be more. Angst. Not Lucy/guild, but there'll be angst. I think… I don't know.**

* * *

Silence. That was what they were met with. It was so thick with tension that it managed to get defeaning, not at all helpful to the nerves pooling in her belly. Their loud chattering had immediately died down the moment they stepped into the building, countless widened eyes perched on her. Nobody dared to move, or speak. They doubtingly even dared to breathe.

Something else she was greeted with made her heart race. Something perched on the tall ceiling, which fell down mid-air, and caught her attention more than anything else in the hall. A wave of shock went up her body.

'_WE'RE SORRY, LUCY!'_

It said. The sign. Something told her that the black, huge letters carefully written had been the work of a certain Solid Script mage, but it spoke for Fairy Tail itself. An impact of emotions surged through her, and she almost wanted to cry, but she had to face them all with a stern face. They might be sorry, but it didn't change what had happened.

Lucy discreetly released Natsu's hand, to both's dismay, and stepped forward. The collective silence had yet to fade, the clicking of her heels echoing loudly throughout the ample hall. She moved as quietly as she could, face emotionless, and halted her steps in a position that allowed her to face the entire guild without straining her neck. She glanced at Natsu, next to her, who had crossed his arms and held a surprisingly solemn look in his dark eyes. She inhaled, soundlessly.

"I think pretty much everyone knows what happened," she began, in a somewhat stable voice that contradicted her inner nerves.

Her words reverberated throughout the hall. Now that she could look better, there were a few faces that displayed worry, some fearful ones, and certain teary eyed ones. Lucy gulped when making eye contact with Levy, across the hall, but she did not move from her spot. Every eye in the place was solely locked onto her.

"I've been asked to tell the tale of my six months away from this guild, and have yet to consider… joining this guild again."

There was faint mumbling as the reactions to her words. The blonde pursed her lips, digging her nails into her palms.

"But I have to ask… how can I still trust you all?" she inquired, quietly, yet sternly. "Right now, I can't trust any of you."

She caught Natsu cringing by the corner of her eye. Many people had the same reaction, some actually looked away from her as if ashamed, very few frowned in confusion and just a couple ones froze. Lucy decided to start acting somewhat indifferent to their reactions.

"You've all ignored me, tossed me to the dark, left me alone. You've all…" she said, grinding her teeth. "Forgotten me. For three months."

By the bar, a certain bristly haired Dragon Slayer cleared his throat ridiculously loud. Lucy sent him a half-hearted smile, but only for a brief second. She was indeed grateful for his help, but that didn't change the fact that he had lied to her.

"Well, not all of you, thankfully. I… want to thank Gajeel, Romeo, Wendy and Laxus for remembering me."

The aforementioned mages reacted, other than Laxus. Gajeel nodded somewhat awkwardly, and both Wendy and Romeo smiled kindly. Levy, who was nearby the Iron mage, stared at him in surprise upon hearing Lucy's information. Indeed, who would've thought _Gajeel _cared to the point of getting involved?

"As you can see, only four of you remembered I existed. Nobody else. For three months, I felt like I was not welcome here. I felt no longer a part of Fairy Tail."

Most of them actually looked like they were about to cry. She felt her eyes stinging as response, and she swiped her left wrist over her face in a rough manner. The movement was not ignored by anybody, thus provoking loud gasps and whispers in the hall—at the scarlet mark on her hand. She swerved her eyes away, feeling guilty.

"S—Since I felt like I didn't belong here anymore, I left. I left to become stronger, to find people who would help me. And, as you can see," she held up her left hand, her tattooed palm in full view to everybody's eyes, "I succeeded."

Maya should have felt proud when the blonde raised her hand. There, on the back of her hand, was the symbol of her guild, her home, Dragon Claw. A symbol of pride and power, yet also trust and loyalty. But, if it was such a powerful mark, then why did Lucy look like she was about to cry? Why was she holding her marked hand up as if it was the evidence of a federal crime worthy of a death sentence as punishment?

Betrayal. That was why. Maya, and Ivy as well, knew very much that she prided herself to have been a Dragon Claw mage, prided herself for bonding with this guild, so the reason as to why she looked so unhappy for displaying the mark was in a whole nother boat than most people would have guessed. No, Lucy felt chagrin because she had betrayed her family, betrayed the guild she truly belonged to, Fairy Tail, by joining yet another one. And nobody from Dragon Claw blamed her for it.

"I had the right to. I was practically alone in the world. My comrades ignored me, my friends left me…"

_The man I'm in love with forgot me_, she wanted to say, but stopped herself. It'd be best if she explained that bit later.

"… My partner and confidant f—forgot me."

She hadn't realized she was crying until Natsu snaked his arms around her waist from behind, his forehead pressed to the back of her head. With a shuddering breath, she placed her hands on top of his at her stomach, as if reassuring him. Natsu was forgiven. The guild… not so much. Not yet, at least, depending on how things would work out.

"I have only one question," she hissed, the tears freely pouring down. "Why…?"

A few sobs were heard, from both her and the guild.

"I trusted you all, I joined this guild because it was the family I never had, so… why?!" she asked once more, anger seeping into her voice. "What did I ever do to deserve being ignored for three months by the ones I love to the bottom of my heart?!"

No answers. Just sobs. She sniffled, shuddering with her faint hiccuping.

"It felt as if I was back in the Heartfilia Kozern, roaming empty halls, with just a few friends to talk to me, and that was only when they had the time to! I was scared I'd fall into depression, because no matter how many times I tried to make myself seen… your eyes were always on Lisanna."

The mentioned girl flinched, staring at the blonde with tears in her eyes. Most of them had a rather similar reaction.

"And you all know how I never give up… I've never given up ever since I joined this guild, but ended up doing it. Because of you. Because you all forgot me," she breathed, the sound clearly audible over the silence in the hall. "You've all made my heart break for three months, every time I walked past those doors. Because I knew what awaited me—isolation."

She gritted her teeth, glaring at them all. Anger and sorrow suddenly filled her eyes.

"I felt so lonely, so useless. I prayed it was all some nightmare, that it'd end soon, but it didn't. You kept ignoring me. For three months, I was invisible. For three months, I was not a member of Fairy Tail. I was a replacement that became useless, because it took you an awfully _long _time for the fact that Lisanna is back to finally hit you in the head. And that… cost me leaving."

That burning glare in her eyes started to fade, her mouth parting.

"I love you guys, I always will. You're my comrades, my family. But, right now… I don't trust any of you, and I don't see a reason as to why I should forgive you."

To her surprise and slight satisfaction, nobody opposed. They looked rather on par with her resolve, even if heartbroken. Lucy breathed in, cursing herself for the words she was about to say, cursing herself for being too kind.

"But I will."

Many heads went up in shock at her unexpected words. Lucy heard Levy stand from her stool by the bar, tears streaming down her cheeks, and the hold Natsu had on her hardened. She frowned.

"You guys really suck, you know…" she sobbed, laughing emotionlessly. "I want to hate you so much, I want to despise you, but I can't. I just can't. However, right now, I know I can't possibly pretend as if this never happened."

"And we wouldn't let you do that, anyway," Gray spoke up, the one with enough courage to face her, to break the silence. And he was frowning. "What we did is…"

He shook his head, staring at her sadly.

"Unforgivable," Erza finished, closing her eyes with hardened lips.

Lucy nodded her head. Now. Now she could definitely say that Fairy Tail truly regretted their mistake. That was enough.

"It is. It's supposed to be unforgivable. But… like I said, I'm forgiving you. I'm not very convinced with this, I shouldn't do it, but I still will… under one condition," she said, voice tone hesitant. She then sighed. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Natsu: if you… redeem yourselves in some way, if you prove it to me that I can trust you again, I can really forgive you. And become a Fairy Tail mage again too. What you did is still there, and won't be forgotten. I'll forgive you, but I won't forget it. Is that reasonable enough?"

And then, everybody's arms went up in the air, carrying the tearful, yet loud and cheerful scream that echoed off the walls.

"YES!" they agreed, some crying, some clapping, some jumping. "WE'RE SO SORRY, LUCY!"

"We will make it up to you, Lucy, even if it's the last thing we do!"

"Yeah, apologizing is _man_!"

"We won't let you down, it's a promise!"

"We will make sure that you can trust us again, that we can be your comrades again!"

"We love you, Lucy!"

She blinked, eyes widening. Tears, smiles, screams. All of it plastered on the faces of her family. With tears flowing down her cheeks and a soft sniffle, Lucy nodded her head violently, smiling so wide that her cheeks hurt.

Behind her, Natsu stepped back, only to appear beside her with that grin of his overriding his face.

"See? I told you it'd be fine."

She gasped through her tears, mimicking his lip gesture, and Fairy Tail completely forgotten, she launched herself at him, in such tight embrace that her lungs felt like popping. Natsu didn't seem to mind, for he just laughed loudly, and returned the hug a trillion times tighter. Before she knew it, he was holding her up in the air and spinning all across the hall, laughing in pure happiness with her.

"Three cheers for Lucy!" someone shouted.

"Hip hip, hooray!"

He stopped spinning, sending her that one heartfelt look she had grown to love. A powerful wave of affection dawned on her, and she smiled warmly at him, cheeks flustered, as he let her feet hit the ground.

She was in love with this man.

"Hip hip, hooray!"

Lucy placed her hands on her grinning mouth, tears pouring down with no possible way of stopping. Natsu then seized her from behind without any warning, and hoisted her up in the air once more, bringing out another fleet of joyful laughter out of her mouth.

He grinned at her, and screamed with the crowd, "Hip hip, HOORAY!"

Lucy didn't know how to react anymore. She was laughing, crying, gasping, all at once, her heart melting with Fairy Tail's manner of apologizing and welcoming her back with open arms. They had ignored her for three months, they were aware of it, but she knew all of them would make it up to her as best as they could, and would never do it to her again. These tears in their eyes, their cheering, their bouncing all over the hall—it all proved that they hadn't meant it, had no intention of doing it again. This was what made her let down her guard in the first place.

Fairy Tail was her family, and they had made a mistake, which they would promptly solve and carry within their minds as a reminder of their ignorance. And, without a doubt, they'd be there with her through time, along with Natsu, to help her heal and stop it from haunting hers and their lives as a guild. Yes, Lucy had the utmost right to despise them, but feeling hatred for the people that promised to redeem themselves made absolutely no sense. Hatred complicated things, hatred made everything blurry, therefore she would not allow it in her life anymore.

It was not being naïve, it was not being too kind, it was being forgiving and fair. Fairy Tail had made on mistake in the dark, and they were all determined to shed a light to fix it.

Lucy smiled at them all as Natsu placed her down again, nodding her head repeatedly and feeling her cheeks moisten even more at the small streams of water running down her face. Tears of happiness, tears of relief.

"Thank you. To all of you, thank you…" she sobbed, laughing breathlessly.

"No, Lucy," Mira suddenly said, her face pretty much matching Lucy's. "Thank _you_ and your kindness."

"Yeah, seriously, we were so freaking terrified you'd never want to be with us again," Cana admitted, to which most heads in the room nodded sheepishly. "Because we can't let our favorite Celestial mage go, for crying out loud!"

There were many shouts of agreeance.

"Lucy is part of Fairy Tail, one of us, and if we made her suffer, we will pay whatever price she has if it makes her accept our apologies!" Macao pitched in, clinking beer mugs with Cana.

"Well said! And—!" Gray yelled, and both him and Erza stepped forward, the first ones approaching the blonde.

Lucy widened her eyes in slight amusement when the Ice-Make mage grabbed her by the shoulders, a horrorstruck expression on his face.

"If I ever _happen_ to do it again, for the love of Mavis, Lucy, punch me in the face!"

"I vouch for that!"

"Don't dare hesitate, Lucy!"

"In fact," Gray said again, and pointed to himself, "do it."

"What?" she made, knitting her brow in surprise. He placed his hands on her shoulders again, shaking her silly.

"Punch me! I deserve it!"

"You sure, Gray?" Ivy said from the bar, grinning in extreme amusement. Maya guffawed.

"Absolutely, as hard as you can!"

Lucy blinked, feeling the urge to laugh. As hard as she could? She glanced at Natsu for his opinion, but she doubted she'd get much from him when he was basically pressuring her to do it with his wide eyes and sly grin. Men. Well, steer into the skid.

"Well, you asked for it," she said, smirking slightly.

It lasted only a second before her fist collided with his left cheek, sending him practically flying to the bar counter. Lucy winced, grinning in amusement. Alright, maybe she shouldn't have pinched it with a bit of Martis Vis. Natsu burst out laughing beside her, while the guild gasped loudly and shared the same reaction as the Fire mage.

Gray crawled from the mess his body had made on the bar, rubbing his bloody nose and squeezing one eye closed.

"Holy shit," he said, in a nasal tone of voice. "I didn't expect that. Still, like I said, I deserved it!"

Lucy couldn't help but laugh at him. "Stronger, remember?"

The Ice mage groaned, letting himself fall back onto the ground. It wasn't long before Juvia hopped to his side, regardless of his laughter and wave of hand when she tried to check the injured nose. Lucy smiled at the scene, rubbing the back of her arm over her wet cheeks.

"Lu-chan…"

The blonde abruptly turned to the side, making eye contact with a sobbing Levy. Lucy saw her take one hesitant step forward, a hiccup leaving the petite mage's mouth. An uncontrolled smile went up Lucy's lips, and she slowly spread her arms open, more tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Levy-chan."

Levy sniffled, before skipping her way into the Celestial mage's arms for a tight hug. Natsu smiled.

"I'm so sorry, Lu-chan! I am so, so, so, _so _sorry!" the bluenette wailed on Lucy's shoulder, both girls trembling. "I can't believe I did that to you, it's unforgivable!"

"It's alright now, Levy-chan, I know you didn't mean to," Lucy said, sniffling. "I'm just glad you finally realized it, and that you're sorry…"

The short girl nodded her head wildly, her frail arms wrapping even closer around the blonde.

"I promise to never do it again, I'll never leave you alone again. You're my best friend, Lu-chan, I _promise _I will give you a reason to trust me again."

Lucy nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Levy-chan."

The girls tightened their hold on each other, before letting go with a pair of wholehearted smiles on their faces. A few more steps shuffled nearby, and Lucy turned, her smile widening at the sight of a smirking Cana with her arms spread out.

"Damn, I ain't the touchy feely girl, but I missed ya Lucy, come here!" she said, to which Lucy quickly obeyed, amused. "Sorry 'bout what happened. I don't know what hit me."

The blonde shrugged, not at all peeved by the awkward tone in the brunette's voice. She'd always known Cana was a rather carefree girl, so no wonder why this all felt weird to her.

"It's okay now, as long as you don't do it again…"

"Damn straight!" Cana exclaimed, pulling away to swing an arm around her shoulders. "Like Gray said, punch all of us in the face if we ever do it again!"

"Which will not happen, because none of us will let ourselves do it again," Erza added, sternly at first, but a smile erupted in her lips all of a sudden, her serious façade broken for the moment.

The blonde nodded her head, chest rippling in waves of happiness.

"Lucy-san."

She froze at the familiar voice, that surge of mirth dying as fast as a gazelle chomped by the jaws of a lion. She looked up, slightly shyly, at the white haired Animal Soul mage, who was eyeing the blonde sadly with somewhat tearful blue eyes. Behind her, and not sure of what to do, stood Juvia. Lucy didn't speak, and neither did the mages surrounding her.

She didn't know what to feel, let alone what to say. There had been no grudge for this girl ever since her return, in fact Lucy had thought of becoming friends with her, but after those three months, she wasn't sure where her intentions floated. Nowhere bad, like Lisanna herself, but still, Lucy felt a bit awkward upon facing this situation.

"I don't think you can accept my apology, can you now?" she said, smiling dismally. Lucy frowned, stepping away from Cana's one armed hug.

"Lisanna, it wasn't really your fault. They're the ones that… well," the blonde trailed, missing the flinches of her guildmates behind her. "But, no, I can't accept your apology."

The albino haired girl gulped, her eyes becoming downcast. Lucy stepped forward, gently placing her hands on her shoulders.

"Because you have nothing to apologize for."

Lisanna immediately looked up, starstruck at the kind smile that touched the Celestial mage's lips, which her own mirrored the gesture. Lucy's expression was warm, sprayed with sheepishness.

"I've always considered you my friend, and I will keep it that way, because it wasn't your fault. I just hope you feel the same way."

Lisanna smiled widely, before sneaking a glance at Natsu, who was staring at the scene with a confused, yet pleased smile on his face. Her smile turned into a faint smirk for an imperceptible second, as she encircled her arms around the blonde in a hug, who giggled flippantly for a moment.

"Now I know why Natsu loves you so much," she whispered, loud enough for only Lucy to hear.

The Celestial mage flushed dark red at the compliment masked by the blatant words, but she merely returned the hug and with a fond grin. She didn't tell Lisanna, like she wished to, that she loved the Fire mage just as much. As previously decided, she'd wait for a while before springing up the news. The guild was all too overwhelmed already.

"And yes, I consider you my friend as well!" Lisanna practically yelled, both girls giggling in a sudden spurt of happiness.

"Then drop the honorific!"

"Done, Lucy!" she complied, the mentioned girl laughing when the Take-Over mage began bouncing them back and forth with a beam on her face.

"And besides, I don't get it either," Lisanna continued. "I tried to make them see they were pushing you away, too, but there was always something that made them distracted."

By now, the white haired mage was glaring at the bunch in suspicion and confusion. Lucy felt surprise at her words.

"Really? I seriously don't remember…" Natsu said, quietly, almost guiltily. The others didn't reply, but their inner reactions pretty much struck on similar levels.

"Okay, I don't want to talk about it anymore," Lucy said, pulling back an arm's length from Lisanna and looking at them over her shoulder. "I don't really care anymore, to be honest. What matters is that you've all realized what you did, and that you're sorry and plan on never doing it again."

"Ditto," Gray piped in, right behind Juvia. His nose was patched up, making Lucy feel a bit sorry.

"Yikes. Gray, sorry abou—"

"Nope, na-ah, don't you dare Lucy," he interrupted, raising his hands.

"But it looks pretty bad—"

"_No_," he stopped her, wagging his forefinger with a scowl. "Non, nein, niente, _no._ Don't you dare apologize to me, Lucy."

She found herself laughing at his persistence, smiling coyly. It immediately faded when she saw Juvia's strong glare, an expression of confusion assaulting her face instead. Lisanna caught it, and stepped back a few inches with her head shifting to the side, only for her face to mirror Lucy's.

"Juvia is angry because Love Rival punched Gray-sama."

"Juvia, for the last time, I'm not your—"

"But Juvia is still happy that you are back," she cut across, her glare evaporating from her face and a smile tugging at her lips. "Juvia hopes Fairy Tail can regain Lucy-san's trust again, and that Lucy-san can be happy."

Lucy parted her lips, surprised yet elated with the Water mage's response. "Juvia…"

The blonde smiled, before recklessly throwing herself onto her for a friendly hug. Juvia stammered at first, startled, but ended up returning the gesture with a shy smile and rosy cheeks. Lucy felt glad. There was no more hate, no more anger, no more loneliness. Everything would be okay now, in the least.

But for that, she had something else to solve.

Pulling back from Juvia, Lucy turned to her far right, brown eyes suddenly ablaze with anger. She began slowly walking towards the Iron Dragon Slayer that was her victim, almost menacingly, and without even words, Wind began tugging at her body, lifting locks of gold, frills of white—picking on fallen slips of paper on the floor, the front doors, the sign over their heads, anything that was deemed fragile or weightless. Several gasps echoed in the hall.

"Wendy, is that you?" Romeo asked, next to her, visibly startled. The Dragon Slayer slowly shook her head.

"No…" she said, thinly, shockingly.

Lucy however, clearly had no qualms.

"You lied to me," she hissed, "Gajeel."

The bristly haired mage was taken aback by her display of power and the flashes of silvery white patterns on her eyes. For a moment there, he felt threatened.

"You said Fairy Tail was glad to have me gone, that it was a relief to have this _nuisance_ away," she spat, the winds at her command suddenly verging dangerously close to an indoor typhoon. Everyone froze in shock.

"Now hold up, bunny girl," he said sharply, a scowl on his face. "Let me ask you a question: Would you have stayed and finished your damned training if I told ya the guild wanted you back?"

Lucy blinked in surprise, the Wind suddenly simmering down.

He didn't wait for her to answer. "Exactly. Like it or not, I did you a favor."

Indeed, he had. She didn't have any good comebacks for that.

"Err… thank you?" she said, vacillating.

He merely tch'ed, crossing his arms over his broad chest. A ghost of a smirk passed his lips—not a sly one, just his trademark smirk. Lucy let herself smile back briefly, slightly conflicted. He had indeed helped her, but he had used a rather rough approach. She didn't know what to feel about that.

_Well… I guess that's Gajeel for you,_ she thought, halfheartedly.

"Lu-chan," Levy suddenly called, visibly astounded with her powers, "I think I speak for everyone here that we understand why you can't trust us for now, and that you clearly have improved your magic skills, but… firstly, are you going to remain a member of Dragon Claw?"

Lucy inhaled sharply, taking in the guild's visible regret and sadness at the words. She stepped back from Gajeel, facing them with a mildly unhappy frown as she returned to her spot next to Juvia. Unnoticed by her, Gajeel had sneaked a way behind Levy.

"Only until I'm fully ready to become part of Fairy Tail again."

"That is more than acceptable," Erza conceeded, nodding her head. "The mistake is ours to fix. Whatever you must do, we will not oppose to it."

There were several nods. The inevitable question was then finally asked, by none other than Natsu.

"For how long are you going to stay?"

Lucy opened her mouth, searching for an answer in her brain. She gulped when she found none. She couldn't go back to Crocus, not after everything that happened, and she didn't want to. She missed Magnolia, Fairy Tail, _Natsu_, her true home. However, there was the matter of Dragon Claw. They clearly weren't located here, and it was not up to her to decide where to go, let alone if it was possible to move their headquarters.

"I…" she said, voice broken. Her chest merged in fear and pain when Natsu gave her a heartbroken stare.

"For a rather long time, mind you."

Lucy spun on her heels, to face Master Danny, who sported a gentle smile. Maya and Ivy stood side by side, their expressions similar.

"A long time?" she repeated, slowly grinning.

"I have a few matters I must discuss with Makarov," he explained, dark green eyes flashing mystery, before returning to their usual brightness. "In the meantime, Fairy Tail and Dragon Claw will share headquarters."

"Awesome!" Cana cheered, beaming. The group followed her reaction.

"Looks like we're gonna have some fun!" Maya said, and slung an arm around Lucy's shoulders. The blonde's grin widened, matching hers. "And you didn't want to take that mission!"

"Yes, about that," Master Danny interrupted, a strict expression replacing his previous smile. "Ivory, would you please stand next to Lucy?"

"Huh?" the Dragon Slayer made, but complied with creased brows. The Dragon Claw Master eyed the trio carefully, a glint of anger sparking in his eyes as he breathed in.

"What. On. Earth. Land. Were. You. Three. _Thinking_?" he snapped, looking incredibly fearful and yet still characteristically calm and quiet.

The mentioned mages flinched, Lucy being the most frightened. His body was gleaming bright green as he spoke, brown strands of hair and cloak oscillating.

"I specifically told all of you, _all of you_ I repeat, that Dragon Claw must never leave the capital. And what did you do?" he spat, sarcasm dripping into his voice. "You full on disobeyed this order, by dragging the newbie onto a dangerous S-Class mission, no less!"

"Tecnically, Master Danny, Lucy is no newbie," Ivy retaliated, with a thin voice. "She's the most powerful mage of our team…"

"That is not relevant to the point, Ivory," the tall man scolded, to which the Water mage cringed and grimaced. "You still disobeyed me. And Lucy, for the love of Anna, I expected better of you."

"So did I…" she mumbled, quite shakily. Master narrowed his eyes, clearly not amused.

Around them, the Fairy Tail mages merely stared at the scene in silence, wide eyed, and slightly queasy at how intimidating Master Daniel could be. He rivaled Master Makarov not just in powers, but also in authority, it seemed.

"Your little defiance could've cost someone's life. However," he continued, voice less berating, and green aura fading away, "Lucy did slay the beast. We've encountered the strongest guild in all Fiore. Magnolia has suffered grave damages, but no deaths. Therefore, this will be forgotten."

The trio wheezed out in relief, glancing at each other with small grins.

"_But_, if you dare do it again, Maya," he warned, the mentioned mage staring at her father in disbelief, "so help me, I will ban you from doing any sorts of missions."

"What?! But—!"

She halted her protest when meeting the man's solemn eyes, and grumbled something unintelligible instead. Ivy and Lucy snickered.

"Thank you, Master," the Celestial mage said.

Master Daniel nodded his head, and briskly walked away, dark cloak wavering weightlessly as he moved towards Master Makarov. The three flinched. While his words were forgiving, he was clearly still peeved with their behavior. Shortly after this retreat, Sam and his sister made a beeline for where Lucy and the others were.

"Well, wasn't he nice this time…" Ivy commented. Lucy raised an eyebrow as Eira wrapped her slender arms around her, hugging the small teen closely.

"You mean he can be more intimidating than _that_?" she asked, pointing at the mage in question.

"You have no idea," Sam joined in, shivering almost dramatically. "One time I accidently exposed our identity to a certain someone, and it wasn't pretty. Master had to remove the person's memories and I was grounded from doing missions for six months and had to sleep in the forest as punishment. I'm pretty sure I have hylophobia now."

"Eh?!" Lucy squeaked, glancing at Master Daniel with knitted brows and a horrified grimace.

"What the fuck is a hylophobia?" Maya asked, an amusing, confused expression on her face.

"Language!" Eira chided, in her sweet voice, as the two blondes pulled apart. There was an overall spurt of laughter in the hall.

"Fear of trees," Lucy explained. Realization hit her then, and she grinned awkwardly at Sam. "You're afraid of Maya, is that it?"

"Oh yes, I'm scared of her so much that I shiver in fear everytime she chomps down on a slice of leek pizza," Sam slurred, sarcasm so blatantly obvious in his voice.

"Who the hell eats pizza with _leek_?" Natsu asked in disbelief, as he moved closer to Lucy. Maya stuck out her tongue at him childishly.

"Someone with good tastes!"

"You don't really know the meaning of 'good tastes', then," Lucy teased, raising an eyebrow. Natsu laughed.

"I beg to differ," Ivy retorted, smirking, as he slung an arm around the wild haired girl.

Lucy did a double take, her eyes bulging sockets on her face. She blinked once, twice, thrice, before she finally understood the meaning behind Ivy's words and Maya's warm grin, accompanied by—_red cheeks_?!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Rewind that up, rewind that up!" she almost screamed, thrashing her arms in the air. "Did you just say what I think you just said?"

"That I went through with our bet? Yep," he said, chuckling when Maya shyly tucked her head under his jaw.

Lucy looked like she was having a seizure.

"Wha—you—she—he—" she stuttered, completely lost, before a huge grin ripped through her lips. "You're dating?!"

"More or less!" Maya said, shrugging sheepishly with her face still flustered. Lucy clasped her hands together, going on tiptoes.

"Holy Mavis, tha—that is fantastic!"

"You two?!" Sam said, eyes unbelievably wide. At their nods, his hands flew up to clench his hair. "How the—alright, I can finally say this, took you long enough you idiots!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Maya snapped, but nobody replied to that. Ivy then smirked at Lucy.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Lucy said, forehead furrowed.

"The bet was between the two of us. I've done my part," he explained, subtly glancing at the Fire mage that stood overly close to her, "have you?"

The blonde's cheeks flamed up when she remembered the terms of their bet. If they ever saw Fairy Tail, he had to ask Maya out, while she had to tell Natsu she loved him once more. One term was mutual—never back down from getting the one you want the most.

"… Yes, I have."

Ivy grinned in surprise at her soft words and wide smile.

"Did it go well?"

"Hmn, very," she said, and bit her lower lip, staring at the salmon haired mage by the corner of her eye. At the wiggle of Ivy's eyebrows and Maya's jaw dropping, Lucy waved her arms, a little squeamish, "N—Not to that point!"

"Damn it, no good," Maya muttered, pouting. The Water mage howled in laughter.

"What bet?" Natsu asked, confused. She giggled, gently slapping his bare arm.

"I'll explain later."

"Speaking of explaining," Gray piped in, resting an arm on Lucy's head with a grin, "Lucy has a story to tell us!"

"Yeah, we definitely got that your magic isn't the same."

"It's so much powerful, I can tell!"

"Eep, if even Gajeel's scared, I don't know what to think…"

"Oi, I ain't scared!" the Iron mage spat, gruffily. Lucy laughed awkwardly.

"So, how bout you show us what you can do now?" Cana asked. The blonde smiled, placing a finger against her jaw.

"Well, if you insist…"

"Great!" the Card mage exclaimed, tugging at her arm. "Before you do, I just want you to know that tonight, you're not escaping from a girls' night!"

"Perfect!" Levy and Lisanna said, in sync. They grinned at each other.

"What?!" Natsu immediately complained, glaring at the brunette. "No fair, I want to spend time with Luce, too!"

"No fair my ass, Natsu!" Lisanna retorted, hooking her arm with Lucy's and pouting with a glare. "You had her yesterday, it's our turn!"

"One night isn't good enough, I want her all to myself for some more time!"

Lucy flushed bright red at the words while the guild began whistling and catcalling, and she squeaked when he grabbed her free arm, beginning a glaring contest with his childhood friend.

"Who are you to say stuff like that? 'I want her all to myself'?" she mocked, grinning suggestively. "It's not like you're her boyfriend, Natsu."

Both him and Lucy froze, staring at each other with somewhat wide eyes and hard lips. Lisanna blinked, studying their flushed faces and the way they were fighting not to smile, and it wasn't long before realization dawned on both her and the whole guild.

"You—she—" the albino girl stammered, mouth going ajar. "Don't tell me…"

"You two…" Levy whispered, placing her hands on her grinning mouth. Lucy grimaced.

So much for keeping it a secret. The cat was out of the bag already, though, so there was no way they'd be able to cover this one without telling the truth. Lucy glanced at her _boyfriend_ for support, not even bothering to hide her grin, but he did exactly the same, as if asking her for some sort of permission. Which was reluctantly granted with a subtle nod of her head.

"Yes," they said, in unison.

There was a moment of silence.

"Oh my gods, no way!" Lisanna shouted in delight, as her sister and the girls squealed.

And basically the whole Fairy Tail began screaming.

* * *

**There you go. THE GUILD IS FORGIVEN AND NALU IS REVEALED TO THEM! Now, farewell, readers who thought it'd be the opposite… (waves white cloth with trumpet playing in the background).**

**REVIEW AND PLEASE DON'T HATE ME OR SOMETHING. I can accept hating me for this late update, but…**


	26. Old Times

**A big apology, you say? **

**I write this story for my benefit, not yours. And if I see it is corrupting my life, I shall stop writing it. I owe no apology to nobody, except those who have been supportive and had to deal with this delay.**

**One more word and I'll disable anonymous reviews. Two more words and I'll take six months to update.**

'**Mon chérie' kinda means my honey in French. I think everyone knows what 'Au contraire' means.**

* * *

Maya felt excitement effusing throughout her body. She had been a witness to quite a few similar situations she was staring at, even having the opportunity of being a part of it, but this was definitely considered different. She was not a part of it, merely a watcher, but the whole aura that screamed _action_ permeating the hall was rubbing off on her. Not that she didn't like it.

Because expectantly watching Lucy and Natsu as they faced each other in the middle of a battle that was yet to be initiated, was quite the sight to behold.

Sitting cross-legged over the bar counter with a hand hooked to her chin, Maya stared, with a devious glint to her eyes, as Lucy smirked shrewdly at the salmon haired mage, who carried a piquant grin and sly black eyes. The two lovebirds hadn't begun the quarrel that was so insisted by their guildmates, merely eyeing each other up and down, as if deciphering whatever movements one another would pull up.

This wasn't the first battle of the day. Shortly after Fairy Tail calmed down at the news of Natsu and Lucy finally getting together—and demands of details which were promptly denied by a red faced Lucy—some people actually had the guts to plead for the Celestial mage to show off her new abillities. Through what? None other than the oldest and most prominent hobby of Fairy Tail.

Fighting.

Levy and a few more others had managed to convince Lucy, who was not at all okay with battling inside the building. She'd gotten on Master Danny's bad side for taking that mission and she didn't want to risk getting on Master Makarov's as well, but when said Master merely waved it off with a boisterous laugh (he guessed a few more damages, that added up to the pile that was the left side of the bar counter, wouldn't make a difference), she knew she had to comply. Besides, she did want to test it all out with her guildmates.

It started out slowly.

Cana was the first that dared to start the fight. Maya had watched, with the incredible urge to laugh, as Lucy easily dodged every single one of the brunette's attempts to knock her down, cards included. Lucy had even barely used any magic. The only spells she actually got to use were her trusty Wind Spell and the Ice Spell. She had Cana out of breath in less than ten minutes, and the blonde simply smiled _innocently_, and she was wearing _heels_.

The second candidate was someone relatively stronger than Cana, Juvia. The Water woman got herself pumped up earlier before, because she had ridiculously convinced herself that this was the ultimate fight to see who got Gray's heart, but after the announcement of her freshly started relationship with Natsu, she no longer called Lucy a love rival and accepted the fighting challenge, labelling it a mere friendly quarrel.

Bad choice. Exactly like Cana, Juvia was left exhausted, for Lucy had managed to deflect every single one of her water attacks. Without magic. This looked more like a display of Lucy's improved speed and melee combat skills, her new magic barely used. After quite a long show, which left Juvia without her hat and Lucy without her sandals, the Water mage called it quits and admitted defeat, seeing as they were going nowhere with it.

Maya had wanted to laugh so badly. Lucy was clearly taking it easy, not even unleashing her full potential. That was why Fairy Tail immediately became worried with Lucy's choice for her next opponent, someone far stronger than her old self.

Gray. This was where things started to get interesting. He summoned various ice weapons and attacks, but Lucy, yet again, called out Neptuno Glacie to swallow the ice and shape it into forms the blonde had thought of. It was the oficial proof that Lucy now controlled Ice magic, along with Wind. They battled for a rather long time, sending chairs flying, shattering glasses, making the floor rumble beneath their feet.

Fairy Tail reached one more conclusion: Lucy's magic was on par with Gray's. And that was an exceptional improvement.

Gray brought them to the opponent they all saw now. Natsu. Before all the fighting, someone had suggested for him to fight her first, but he had absolutely refused. His narrowed eyes and gritted teeth clearly conveyed how he'd rather walk barefoot on shards of glass than hurt his Lucy. To everyone's surprise and amusement, the blonde had burst out laughing, saying that she was the one afraid of hurting _him_. Throughout Lucy's three first fights, Natsu had studied her with curious eyes and a visible glow of pride in his stare, which eventually turned into one of mischief at the prospect of battling this unstoppable blonde that was his girlfriend.

Maya raised an eyebrow with a grin, upon catching Lucy seductively narrowing her eyes at the Fire Dragon Slayer. Natsu himself was grinning alluringly at her, as the couple slowly walked on circles, arms raised defensively and bodies crouched in anticipation. He had this tantalizing shade to his eyes directed solely to her, to which the blonde retaliated with a provocative smirk.

"Don't you think it's better for you to back down before you get hurt, princess?" he teased, voice purposefully husky. With Fairy Tail basically surrounding them as the audience, it was to nobody's surprise when catcalls and whistles were heard.

"Au contraire, mon chérie," Lucy retorted, after laughing captivatingly. "I think _you _should call it quits while you still can. Or have you forgotten that the closer I am to you, the stronger I get?"

Natsu cursed. In truth, he had really forgotten that tiny detail. And that apparently took its toll on him.

As she allowed her smirk to grow into a sly grin, Natsu barely missed the quick fist that hovered inches away from his jaw, his back and knees cambered and head curved back almost painfully. He didn't even have the time to retaliate, let alone react, for Lucy had already hammered his gut with her right foot at an inhuman speed and impressive strength. Natsu cursed as he was sent flying, but managed to sloppily swing his body in mid air, pressing his hand flat on the floor as he spiralled into control, planting his feet back onto the ground.

Thank the gods she wasn't wearing her heels.

"Dear Mavis, Natsu, have you gotten rusty?" she taunted, perfectly standing on her unaffected legs, with a hand settled on her hip in a casual manner.

Damn it, she _was _stronger, and this proved it was not only magically.

"Nah," he replied, grinning as he dusted off his pants. "Just giving you a heads up, Luigi."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her bountiful chest. Tenacious and pushy, as always—Natsu hadn't changed one bit. A small laugh tumbled out of her throat, and the salmon haired teen glanced at her, caught up with the sweet sound. A grin surfaced on his mouth. He took the distraction to launch himself at her, right hand lit on fire.

"Iron Fist of the—_gah_!"

The blonde had merely sighed, a smile on her lips, and flourished her hand forward.

"Saturn Malgae."

Natsu was immediately halted in the air, fist still raised and body in a rather awkward position, a purple mist cradling his body like a cloud. There was a collective mixture of gasps and awe's at the new magical tecnique.

Maya grinned, nudging Ivy's arm with her elbow. "Gravity Spell."

"Yup," he muttered back, smirking. "She's getting serious now."

Lucy cocked her head to the side in attempted innocence, maybe even cutely, those big brown eyes of hers blinking up at him. Natsu gulped, and with that, she grinned with closed eyes, waving her hand to the right. The Fire mage's body instantly and unwillingly followed suit, crashing onto a few chairs and tables that had been pushed to the far back of the hall for space.

"I warned you," she said, in a singing voice. "Give up while you still can, dragon boy."

She glanced over her shoulder, in time to see him undig himself from under the mess that was once a bunch of tables and chairs. Despite his sudden staggering, Natsu was grinning, latching one hand to his shoulder to soundly crack the knots. He mimicked her previous gesture, curving his neck sideways with an almost seductive gleam to his dark eyes.

"I don't think that's likely to happen, _Lucy,_" he said, hissing out her voice in a tantalizing manner.

In the background, Rue raised an eyebrow.

"These two are practically screwing each other with their eyes."

Maya guffawed.

Gladly, the comment was either unheard or dismissed from the mages on the battle stage. Natsu punched his fist on his palm, clearly not concerned in hurting Lucy anymore as seen she could hold quite well against someone as powerful as him, and gave the blonde a fanged grin. She smirked again.

"You know I never give up. A Fairy Tail mage never gives up."

_Truer words have never been spoken_, Lucy thought, as the Dragon Slayer charged towards her once more with a fiery fogged body. Maybe the reminder stung her feelings a bit, but she knew he meant no harm. It was a subtle encouragement, in fact. Though, she'd probably warn him later that it was rather too early to be talking about things like that.

"And that is why," she whispered, ducking out of the way, "I admire you, my dragon."

The words were meant for only him to hear. Nicknaming him was still somewhat weird for her, and sappy for the kind of romance they shared, but since they were still fooling around with that as they fought, Lucy decided to speckle her tender words with a bit of temptation. It had the desired effect, it seemed, when Natsu faltered his incoming punch with a touched smile and knitted brows. Her smile widened. Perfect opportunity to spark things a bit.

"Jupiter Fulgus!" she summoned, after yanking out her Fleuve d'Étoiles. On cue, the weapon roused in bright lilac, miniscule lightning rays bouncing off. Natsu looked astounded for a moment, before the whip cracked dangerously close to his left calf.

"Hey!" he complained, jumping out of the way. "You can't just say stuff like that and then attack me!"

"It's called _distraction_, Natsu, maybe you should look it up."

He scowled.

"That's fighting dirty, Luce."

"Nope."

She smirked, lashing out her whip one second time. Natsu hissed, twisting his body out of the way, only to yelp when the weapon smacked him hard on his back and sent him face first onto the floor. Lucy had been right—she was indeed faster.

Stronger.

She might as well be on the same level as him now.

* * *

**Very short chapter, which doesn't make it up for the delay, but that's all I could write. **

**Guess what? I'm not English born. My main language is not English and the novel I'm writing is in my mother language. I'm not a superhero, I can't keep up with good writing skills on two languages at the same time.**

**I wish you well.**


	27. Author's Note

And, unfortunately, that's a wrap. It's not that I didn't have plans for this story, because I most certainly did, big ones at that. I had an ending planned and all, and everything sorted out to the smallest details. However, I can't seem to find a way to put it all into words, and that combined with the book—which is actually the first book to a fantasy saga of probably 6 books, mind you—and my loss of interest in Fairy Tail and anime in general, I simply can't do it.

There's two options. I can either tell you all in a separate chapter what I was going to do in the form of a summary or something like that, or one of you can write the sequel yourselves. I'm good with both. You can come to me for ideas if you want to stick to the original script—which is very complex at that, like I said—or you can do whatever floats your boat. Review how you want things done, if you want me to tell you, or if you want to wait until someone volunteers to write the sequel.

I'm very sorry guys. Things have gotten hectic over this past year, be it family issues, school or writing the book (actually those last two are combined like algae and rocks, coming for my doom apparently), so I had to put aside the big fics and stick to one-shots, at most.

Again, I'm sorry. The book is my priority, and holds a deeper meaning to my life than you could possibly imagine. I need to finish it.

**(SORRY TO THOSE WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A CHAPTER!)**


End file.
